Rules, Memories, and Workflows

So far, we’ve watched Cascade effortlessly build entire apps, refactor entire modules, and autocomplete functions seemingly before we finish typing. That’s impressive horsepower, but unchecked power without guardrails can quickly spiral into chaos. Every engineering team out there has its quirks and standards. Perhaps your shop strictly forbids Python’s print() statements in production, always favors Tailwind CSS over plain stylesheets, or runs the same tedious “deploy-to-staging” ritual multiple times daily. Humans pick these standards up through code reviews and conversations; Cascade, however, needs to be explicitly taught.

This is precisely where Rules, Memories, and Workflows come into play. These tools help Windsurf align its AI assistance with your unique coding standards, automate repetitive but necessary tasks, and retain critical context so you aren’t stuck repeating yourself. Master these features, and Cascade stops feeling like just another smart autocomplete—it starts behaving more like a reliable peer who truly understands your workflow and preferences.

How to access Rules, Memories, and Workflows

Finding these options is straightforward. Look for the small open-book icon in the sidebar, or click “Windsurf Settings” at the bottom status bar of the editor. This opens a unified settings pane, neatly organized into three distinct tabs: Rules, Memories, and Workflows.

If you typically work solo, changes you make here apply exclusively to your setup. But you can also specify certain settings as “Team” or “Global,” affecting your teammates or the entire organization. Enterprise admins additionally have ...