Setting Up Windsurf: A Practical Guide to Cascade Workflows

Windsurf (Codeium)
1

Windsurf promises a different kind of AI editing experience with Cascade, its agentic flow system. But getting real productivity out of it requires more than just installing and typing. This guide walks you through setting up Windsurf for an actual development workflow — from installation to your first Cascade-powered feature implementation.

Installation and Migration

Download from windsurf.com. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

On first launch, Windsurf offers to import your VS Code settings — extensions, themes, keybindings, and configurations. Accept this. The migration is smooth since Windsurf is built on the same VS Code foundation.

After import, verify your extensions loaded correctly. Most VS Code extensions work, but some may need reinstalling from the Windsurf marketplace.

Understanding Cascade vs. Traditional AI Chat

Cascade is not just a chat panel. It’s an agentic system that:

  1. Observes what you’re doing in the editor in real time
  2. Maintains context across multiple interactions (called “Flows”)
  3. Plans multi-step changes and executes them
  4. Self-corrects when it detects issues in its own output

The key mental shift: instead of asking isolated questions, you work with Cascade on a task. It remembers what you’ve been doing and what you’re trying to achieve.

Setting Up Your First Project

Open your project in Windsurf. Before starting with Cascade, set up project context:

Create project instructions — Windsurf supports project-level instructions similar to Cursor’s rules. Go to Settings → AI → Custom Instructions and add your project context:

This is a React 18 + TypeScript application using Vite, 
Tailwind CSS, and React Query. State management uses Zustand. 
API calls go through src/api/client.ts. Follow existing patterns 
in the codebase for new components.

Index your codebase — Windsurf indexes your project for semantic understanding. Let this complete before starting work. You can check indexing status in the bottom status bar.

Cascade Workflow: Building a Feature

Let’s walk through building a real feature with Cascade. Say you need to add a user settings page.

Step 1: Start a Cascade Flow

Open the Cascade panel and describe the task:

I need to create a user settings page. The user should be able to:
- Update their display name
- Change their email (with verification)
- Toggle notification preferences
- Delete their account

Follow the existing page patterns in src/pages/ and use the 
form components from src/components/forms/.

Cascade reads your existing files, understands the patterns, and proposes a plan.

Step 2: Review the Plan

Before Cascade writes code, it shows you what it intends to do — which files to create, which to modify, and the approach. Review this carefully. If something doesn’t align with what you want, tell it:

Good plan, but use a tabbed layout instead of a single long form. 
Each section should be its own tab component.

Cascade adjusts its approach.

Step 3: Let Cascade Execute

Once you approve, Cascade implements the changes across multiple files. Watch the progress — it creates components, sets up routes, connects to your API layer, and wires everything together.

Step 4: Iterate in the Same Flow

If something isn’t right, stay in the same Flow. Cascade remembers everything:

The notification toggle isn't using our standard Switch component 
from src/components/ui. Also, add form validation using Zod.

Because Cascade maintained context, it knows exactly which files to modify and what pattern to follow.

Tab Completion: Getting the Most Out of It

Windsurf’s Tab completion is fast and context-aware. Tips for making it better:

  • Type descriptive variable names — userNotificationPreferences gives much better completions than prefs
  • Write function signatures first — type the full function declaration with types, then let Tab fill the body
  • Accept partially — use Ctrl+→ to accept word by word when the suggestion is close but not perfect

Using Multiple Models

Windsurf supports multiple AI models. In settings, you can configure:

  • Cascade model — Claude or GPT-4o for agentic tasks
  • Tab model — Codeium’s own optimized model for fast completions

Try Claude for Cascade tasks that require complex reasoning, and keep the fast Codeium model for Tab completions. This gives you the best balance of quality and speed.

Working with the Terminal

Windsurf’s integrated terminal works with Cascade. If you encounter an error:

  1. The error appears in your terminal
  2. Cascade can observe it (with permissions)
  3. Ask: “Fix the error that just appeared in the terminal”
  4. Cascade reads the error, finds the relevant code, and proposes a fix

This tight loop between terminal output and AI assistance is one of Windsurf’s strengths.

Project-Level Tips

Use .windsurfignore — exclude directories from indexing:

node_modules/
dist/
.next/
coverage/

Organize by feature — Cascade works best when related files are in the same directory. Feature-based folder structure helps it understand relationships between files.

Commit frequently — after each successful Cascade flow, commit. This gives you clean rollback points if a future flow goes sideways.

When Windsurf Shines

Windsurf’s Cascade is at its best for:

  • Building new features from scratch across multiple files
  • Refactoring existing code while maintaining patterns
  • Tasks where you want AI to observe your editing and proactively assist
  • Prototyping and rapid iteration

For single-file edits and quick questions, the overhead of Cascade isn’t necessary — use Tab or the standard chat instead.

What’s your experience been with Cascade? Share your workflows and tips. :backhand_index_pointing_down: