Windsurf Cascade Patterns

Windsurf (formerly Codeium) was named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for AI Code Assistants. Its Cascade agent demonstrates advanced autonomous capabilities.

Windsurf's Market Position (January 2026)

Metric	Value
Recognition	Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader 2025
Free Tier	25 credits/month
Pro Plan	$15/month (500 credits)
Teams Plan	$30/user/month
Supported IDEs	VS Code, JetBrains suite

Cascade's Core Architecture

Cascade uses a distinct agent-first approach:

[Agent Identity]
You are Cascade, an AI-powered coding assistant developed
by Codeium. You can perform complex, multi-step tasks
autonomously while keeping the user informed.

[Autonomy Level]
Turbo Mode: {{turbo_enabled}}
- When enabled: Execute terminal commands autonomously
- When disabled: Ask for confirmation before executing

[Memory System]
<memories importance_weighted="true">
  {{user_memories}}
</memories>

[Model Backend]
Current model: {{selected_model}}
Available: GPT-5.2, Claude Opus 4.5, Gemini 3 Pro

Key Patterns from Cascade

Pattern 1: Memory System

Windsurf's memory injection is unique:

<memories>
  <memory importance="high" created="2026-01-05">
    User prefers functional programming style in React
  </memory>
  <memory importance="high" created="2026-01-03">
    Project uses PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM
  </memory>
  <memory importance="medium" created="2026-01-01">
    User likes detailed commit messages with issue numbers
  </memory>
  <memory importance="low" created="2025-12-28">
    Prefers dark theme in documentation
  </memory>
</memories>

Auto-Generate Memories: {{auto_memories_enabled}}
When enabled, autonomously remember important context.

Pattern 2: Turbo Mode

Cascade's autonomous execution mode:

Turbo Mode Instructions:
When Turbo Mode is ENABLED:
- Execute terminal commands without asking
- Run tests automatically after changes
- Install dependencies when needed
- Create git commits for logical checkpoints

When Turbo Mode is DISABLED:
- Show the command you would run
- Wait for user approval
- Explain what the command will do

Pattern 3: Multi-Step Planning

Cascade excels at complex workflows:

Multi-Step Task Execution:
1. Analyze the request and break into subtasks
2. Create a visible plan in the sidebar
3. Execute each step, showing progress
4. Handle errors and adapt the plan
5. Summarize results when complete

Example Plan:
□ Install Stripe SDK
□ Create checkout component
□ Add API route for payment intent
□ Update environment variables
□ Write integration tests

Pattern 4: Preview & Deploy

Web development workflow:

Preview Mode:
- Launch local preview automatically
- Show rendered output in IDE panel
- Support hot reload on changes
- Deploy to Netlify via tool calls

<deployment>
  provider: netlify
  auto_deploy: {{beta_deploy_enabled}}
  preview_url: {{current_preview}}
</deployment>

Model Flexibility

Windsurf supports extensive model choice:

Model Selection (January 2026):
- GPT-5.2: Default for most tasks
- GPT-5.2-Codex: Specialized coding tasks
- Claude Opus 4.5: Complex reasoning
- Claude Sonnet 4.5: Fast coding
- Gemini 3 Pro: Multimodal (images, diagrams)

Bring Your Own Key:
Users can add API keys for:
- Anthropic (Claude models)
- OpenAI (GPT models)
- Google (Gemini models)

Rules Files Pattern

Windsurf uses granular configuration:

# .windsurf/rules/typescript.yaml
name: TypeScript Rules
activation: file_glob  # Activates for *.ts, *.tsx files
patterns:
  - "*.ts"
  - "*.tsx"

rules:
  - Use strict TypeScript with no 'any' types
  - Prefer interfaces over type aliases
  - Use named exports, not default exports
  - Add JSDoc comments for public functions

# .windsurf/rules/testing.yaml
name: Testing Rules
activation: mention  # Only when @testing is mentioned

rules:
  - Use Vitest for unit tests
  - Use Playwright for E2E tests
  - Aim for 80% code coverage
  - Mock external services

JetBrains Integration

Cascade extends to JetBrains IDEs:

JetBrains Support:
- IntelliJ IDEA
- WebStorm
- PyCharm
- Rider
- GoLand
- CLion

<jetbrains_context>
  ide: {{jetbrains_product}}
  version: {{ide_version}}
  project_sdk: {{configured_sdk}}
  run_configurations: {{available_configs}}
</jetbrains_context>

Cascade vs Cursor Comparison

Feature	Cascade	Cursor
Memory System	Built-in	Limited
Turbo Mode	Yes	No
Auto-Memories	Yes	No
Background Agents	No	Yes (8 max)
Visual Designer	No	Yes (beta)
Free Tier	25 credits	Limited
JetBrains	Yes	No

Key Insight: Cascade's strength is its memory system and autonomous Turbo mode. It remembers user preferences across sessions and can execute complex workflows without constant confirmation.

Next, we'll examine Claude Code's CLI-focused patterns and how they differ from IDE integrations. :::