10 Best Practices for Windsurf Users (2026 Edition)

Windsurf has become a leading AI coding environment in 2026 thanks to its Fast Context engine, SWE-1.5 model, and multi-file reasoning capabilities. To get consistently accurate, production-grade code, developers must master prompt structure, agent workflows, and upstream context.

This guide outlines the 10 most important Windsurf best practices for developers, engineering managers, and enterprise teams — including how ProdMoh strengthens Windsurf’s performance by providing clean, grounded product requirements.

1. Start With a Clear, Single-Sentence Instruction

Windsurf’s SWE-1.5 model performs best when given an explicit objective. Avoid vague directions like “fix this” or “add a new API.”

Good Example:

Goal: Add role-based access control (RBAC) to the /users API without breaking existing authentication logic.

Explicit instructions help the agent interpret scope correctly and avoid modifying unintended code paths.

2. Use Fast Context Properly

Fast Context is one of Windsurf’s most powerful features. It allows instant retrieval of relevant files, enabling SWE-1.5 to reason across your entire codebase.

Best practices:

• Surface relevant files early
• Pin key files in context using comments
• Add architectural notes into `/docs` so Windsurf can reference them

Windsurf uses these signals to build a reliable mental map before writing code.

3. Provide Structured Prompts, Not Unformatted Paragraphs

Use the same structure predictable for AI agents:

Goal:
Context:
Current Implementation:
Required Changes:
Acceptance Criteria:
Constraints:

This reduces ambiguity and makes SWE-1.5’s reasoning more deterministic.

4. Define Acceptance Criteria Before Code Generation

Windsurf’s agent responds extremely well to explicit constraints.

Example:

Acceptance Criteria:
1. RBAC applies to all /users endpoints.
2. Admin can view all users; regular users can view only self.
3. No new DB fields added.
4. Authentication logic remains unchanged.

5. Use SWE-1.5 for Multi-File Reasoning

Inline edits are great for small changes, but SWE-1.5 excels at:

• Large feature additions
• Cross-module changes
• Refactors involving multiple layers
• Security, logging, and architectural updates

If the change involves more than one file, you should almost always use SWE-1.5.

6. When to Use Inline Edit vs. Agent Mode

Use Inline Edit when:

• Fixing bugs
• Updating a small function
• Editing comments or documentation

Use SWE-1.5 Agent Mode when:

• You need multi-file updates
• You’re building a new feature
• You need a reasoning explanation before code is written
• You are working with a PRD from ProdMoh

7. Ask Windsurf to Explain Its Assumptions

Error-free code comes from understanding reasoning, not just output.

Prompt Example:

Before writing code, list all assumptions you are making about the RBAC system.

This surfaces misunderstandings early, reducing rework.

8. Organize Your Repository for AI Agents

Windsurf performs best when the repo is clean and predictable.

/src
  /api
  /modules
  /services
  /lib
/tests
/docs
/prompts

The /prompts folder is especially powerful: Store reusable agent prompts, or auto-generate them via ProdMoh.

9. Use “Show Reasoning Mode” for Critical Features

Windsurf’s step-by-step reasoning increases reliability in:

• Database schema changes
• Security logic
• Multi-step workflows
• Regulated environments (HIPAA, SOC2, PCI)

This is essential for enterprise-grade engineering.

10. Use ProdMoh as Your Upstream Input Layer

Windsurf is only as good as the instructions it receives. If your prompt is ambiguous, incomplete, or misaligned, SWE-1.5 will generate incorrect code.

ProdMoh solves the input problem.

• Structured PRDs
• Acceptance criteria
• Feature definitions
• Edge cases
• Engineering-ready prompt packets

When Windsurf receives a clean upstream specification, output quality improves dramatically.

Conclusion

Windsurf is one of the most powerful AI IDEs available in 2025 — but the best results come from thoughtful prompting, structured workflows, and upstream clarity. By combining SWE-1.5, Fast Context, clean folder structure, and standardized prompts, engineering teams can accelerate development while maintaining reliability.

And when paired with ProdMoh, Windsurf becomes significantly more accurate, predictable, and aligned with real product requirements.

Generate PRDs and Windsurf-ready coding prompts at prodmoh.com.