Windsurf IDE Cheat Sheet

Windsurf - AI-native IDE with Cascade (agentic AI flow)

ESSENTIAL SHORTCUTS

CASCADE COMMANDS & PROMPTS

Cascade Modes: Chat (Q&A) • Edit (Modify) • Generate (Create) • Debug (Fix) • Refactor (Restructure)

QUICK ACTIONS

CASCADE BEST PRACTICES

✅ DO: • Be specific • Use @file and @workspace • Break tasks into steps • Review before accepting

❌ DON’T: • Give vague instructions • Accept without understanding • Skip testing • Forget context

Example Workflow:

1. Select code → Cmd+L
2. "Fix this bug: [describe]"
3. Review → Accept/Iterate

CASCADE CAPABILITIES

PRODUCTIVITY TIPS

1. Repetitive Tasks: "Update all API endpoints to new base URL"
2. @mentions: "@workspace find all TODO comments"
3. Multi-Cursor: Cmd+D to select next, edit all at once
4. Split Editors: Cmd+\ for side-by-side
5. Zen Mode: Cmd+K Z for focus
6. Snippets: Settings → User Snippets

COMMON ISSUES

ADVANCED SHORTCUTS

WORKSPACE & SETTINGS

Recommended Extensions: Prettier • ESLint • GitLens • Python • Docker

WINDSURF-SPECIFIC FEATURES

Prompt Files (.prompt)

Location: .windsurf/prompts/ or project root

Example .windsurf/prompts/review.prompt:

Review this code for:
- Security vulnerabilities
- Performance issues
- Best practices
- Code smells

Usage: @prompt review in Cascade

Instruction Files (.instructions)

Location: .windsurf/instructions/ or project root

Example .windsurf/instructions/project.instructions:

Project: E-commerce API
Language: TypeScript
Framework: Express.js

Rules:
- Always use async/await, never callbacks
- All API endpoints must have error handling
- Use Zod for validation
- Write tests for all endpoints

Cascade automatically reads these files for context

.windsurfrules File

Location: Project root (.windsurfrules)

Purpose: Global project rules for Cascade

Example .windsurfrules:

# Code Style
indent: 2 spaces
quotes: single
semicolons: true

# Conventions
naming:
  functions: camelCase
  classes: PascalCase
  constants: UPPER_SNAKE_CASE

# Preferences
testing: Jest
linter: ESLint
formatter: Prettier

# AI Behavior
code_generation:
  - Add TypeScript types
  - Include error handling
  - Write inline comments for complex logic
  - Generate tests alongside code

Context Files

Cascade Memory

Windsurf remembers:

• Previous conversations (session-based)
• File edits and context
• Project structure
• Common patterns you use

Clear memory: Start new session with Cmd+Shift+L

Workspace Settings

.vscode/settings.json (Windsurf-specific):

{
  "cascade.autoContext": true,
  "cascade.includeTests": true,
  "cascade.maxTokens": 4096,
  "cascade.temperature": 0.7,
  "cascade.model": "claude-3-5-sonnet"
}

WINDSURF PROJECT STRUCTURE

project/
├── .windsurf/
│   ├── prompts/           # Reusable prompt files
│   │   ├── review.prompt
│   │   ├── test.prompt
│   │   └── refactor.prompt
│   ├── instructions/      # Context instructions
│   │   ├── project.instructions
│   │   ├── api.instructions
│   │   └── style.instructions
│   ├── context.md         # Project context
│   └── architecture.md    # System design
├── .windsurfrules         # Global project rules
├── .vscode/
│   └── settings.json      # Windsurf settings
└── README.md              # Auto-included

ADVANCED CASCADE FEATURES

Multi-File Operations

Cascade Agents

Specialized agents for tasks:

• Code Agent - Write/modify code
• Review Agent - Code review
• Test Agent - Generate tests
• Debug Agent - Fix bugs
• Docs Agent - Write documentation

Trigger: Cascade auto-selects based on prompt

Cascade Modes Deep Dive

QUICK REFERENCE CARD

Most Used:

Cmd+L          → Cascade Chat       @workspace    → Reference workspace
Cmd+I          → Inline Edit        @file         → Reference file
Cmd+P          → Quick Open         Explain this  → Understand code
Cmd+Shift+P    → Command Palette    Fix this      → Debug
Cmd+F          → Find               Refactor      → Improve structure
Cmd+D          → Select Next        Add tests     → Generate tests
Ctrl+`         → Terminal

CASCADE FLOWS

Sequential Tasks:

1. "@workspace analyze codebase"
2. "Create refactoring plan"
3. "Implement step by step"
4. "Generate tests"

Custom Commands (settings):

{
  "cascade.customCommands": {
    "review": "Review for security and performance",
    "doc": "Add comprehensive documentation",
    "test": "Generate unit tests with edge cases"
  }
}

Using Prompt Files:

1. Create .windsurf/prompts/review.prompt
2. In Cascade: "@prompt review @file mycode.ts"
3. Cascade uses prompt template + file context

Resources: windsurf.ai/docs • Cmd+K Cmd+S (Shortcuts) • Cmd+, (Settings)
Version: Windsurf 1.0+ • Updated: January 2026

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