windsurf-reliability-patterns

name	windsurf-reliability-patterns
description	Implement reliable Cascade workflows with checkpoints, rollback, and incremental editing. Use when building fault-tolerant AI coding workflows, preventing Cascade from breaking builds, or establishing safe practices for multi-file AI edits. Trigger with phrases like "windsurf reliability", "cascade safety", "windsurf rollback", "cascade checkpoint", "safe cascade workflow".
allowed-tools	Read, Write, Edit, Bash(git:*)
version	1.11.0
license	MIT
author	Jeremy Longshore <[e-mail]>
tags	["saas","windsurf","reliability","safety","git-workflow"]
compatibility	Designed for Claude Code, also compatible with Codex and OpenClaw

Windsurf Reliability Patterns

Overview

Reliability patterns for safe Cascade usage: Git checkpointing, incremental task scoping, validation gates, and rollback strategies. Cascade's multi-file editing is powerful but requires discipline to avoid breaking your codebase.

Prerequisites

• Windsurf with Cascade enabled
• Git repository initialized
• Test suite available
• Understanding of Cascade Write mode

Instructions

Step 1: Always Commit Before Cascade

The most important reliability pattern: create a clean Git checkpoint before every Cascade session.

# Before starting a Cascade task
git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: before cascade session"

# After Cascade completes:
git diff                                    # Review all changes
npm test && npm run typecheck               # Validate

# If good:
git add -A && git commit -m "[cascade] add notification service"

# If bad:
git checkout -- .                           # Revert everything
# Or selectively:
git checkout -- src/problem-file.ts         # Revert one file

Step 2: Use Feature Branches for Cascade Work

# Create dedicated branch for each Cascade task
git checkout -b cascade/add-notification-service

# Do Cascade work on this branch
# ...

# If results are good:
git checkout main && git merge cascade/add-notification-service

# If results are bad:
git checkout main && git branch -D cascade/add-notification-service
# Clean slate, main branch untouched

Step 3: Scope Tasks Incrementally

Large tasks cause Cascade to make sweeping changes that are hard to review. Break into steps.

BAD (too broad):
"Refactor the authentication system to use JWT instead of sessions"
→ Cascade may modify 30+ files, hard to review, likely has bugs

GOOD (incremental):
Step 1: "Create src/services/jwt.ts with functions: generateToken,
         validateToken, refreshToken. Use the jose library."
Step 2: "Create tests/services/jwt.test.ts with tests for all three functions"
Step 3: "Run the tests and fix any failures"
Step 4: "Update src/middleware/auth.ts to use jwt.ts instead of
         express-session. Keep the old code commented out."
Step 5: "Run the full test suite and fix any failures"
Step 6: "Remove commented-out session code from auth.ts"

Each step: review diff → test → commit → next step