Memories
Memories is the system for sharing and persisting context across conversations.
There are two types of memories: those generated by the user (commonly referred to as rules) and those that are automatically generated by Cascade.
User-generated Memories (aka Rules)
Users can explicitly define their own Memories, or rules, for Cascade to follow. For example, you can create rules to get Cascade to respond in a certain language, communicate in a specific style, or use a specific API.
Rules are defined in designated rule files:
.windsurfrules - rules for the local workspace
global_rules.md - rules applied across all workspaces
No specific formatting is required; Cascade will understand markdown and raw text.
.windsurfrules to your project’s .gitignore.Multiple workspaces
If your window has multiple workspaces, all local rules will be used. If the total of your global rules and local rules exceed 12,000 characters, priority will be given to the global rules, followed by the workspace rules. Any rules beyond 12,000 characters will be truncated.
Auto-generated Memories
During the course of your conversation with Cascade, Cascade will automatically generate and store memories if the context or information is determined to be useful for future conversations. Additionally, you can ask Cascade to create a memory at any time; this can be especially helpful for referencing and capturing conversational context as it happens.
When a memory is successfully generated, you will see a “Memory has been updated” notification at the bottom of Cascade’s response that generated the memory. Additionally, you can click on “Manage” to open the Memories panel — your one-stop shop for all memory related content — to view and delete Cascade’s memories.
Managing Memories
The Memories panel can be accessed at any time by clicking on “Windsurf - Settings” in the bottom-right hand corner, selecting the “Settings” tab, and clicking “Manage” next to “Cascade-Generated Memories”. Alternatively, you can access the Memories panel by clicking the three dots in the top right corner of the Cascade window, and selecting “Manage Memories”.