Rules & instructions Official

Windsurf Rules and Memories

Windsurf Cascade rules: global, workspace and enterprise rule files plus AGENTS.md support and auto-generated memories.

Author: Windsurf (Cognition)
Works with: Windsurf
Documented: Oct 2, 2026

What Windsurf Rules and Memories is

Rules tell Cascade how to behave. Global rules sit in global_rules.md, workspace rules in .devin/rules/*.md (legacy .windsurf/rules/), with enterprise system rules deployed by IT. AGENTS.md is processed by the same engine. Docs now brand the product Devin Desktop.

What it does

Where Windsurf Rules and Memories runs and what it adds, from its documentation

Workspace rules with activation modes always_on, glob, model_decision, manual
Global rules file limited to 6,000 characters; workspace files 12,000 each
AGENTS.md: root is always-on, subdirectories auto-glob
Enterprise system-level rules, read-only for users
Auto-generated memories stored locally (legacy Cascade agent only)

When to use it

Good fit

Enforce coding conventions in Cascade
Share rules via the repo with AGENTS.md

Not for

Durable team knowledge in memories: they stay on your machine; docs recommend rules or AGENTS.md

How to install Windsurf Rules and Memories

You need: Windsurf / Devin Desktop

Create .devin/rules/.md in the workspace (or legacy .windsurf/rules/)
Set an activation mode for the rule
Or add AGENTS.md in the repo
Global: ~/.codeium/windsurf/memories/global_rules.md

Limitations

Character limits per rule file
Memories do not apply to the Devin Local agent

Tools it extends

Coding Free plan

Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

Desktop

No user reviews yet

AI coding IDE, formerly Windsurf, now Devin Desktop: manage local and cloud coding agents inside a full IDE.

Free stops at: Light quota for agent usage, resets daily and weekly, Limited model availability

Listed Not yet reviewed

Verified Oct 1, 2026 windsurf.com (opens Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) website in a new tab)

Free · paid from $20/mo US · checked Sep 29

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Frequently asked questions

Where do Windsurf workspace rules live?

In .devin/rules/*.md, with .windsurf/rules/*.md as fallback. source

Does Windsurf support AGENTS.md?

Yes, root AGENTS.md is always-on and subdirectory ones auto-glob. source

What are Windsurf rule size limits?

6,000 characters for global rules and 12,000 per workspace rule file. source

Are Windsurf memories shared with my team?

No, they are local to your machine and workspace. source

Sources and gaps

https://docs.windsurf.com/windsurf/cascade/memories docs, checked Oct 2, 2026
https://agents.md/ docs, checked Oct 2, 2026

Not stated by the maintainers: repo_url is placeholder: product is closed source; Docs describe rebranding to Devin Desktop; Public source repository (closed source or not verified).