Devin Desktop Customizations

Overview

Devin Desktop is the current name for Windsurf. Select the smallest customization that matches the task instead of treating Workflows and Memories as interchangeable automation.

Prerequisites

• Devin Desktop with Cascade enabled
• A version-controlled workspace for shared customizations
• A concrete behavior or procedure to encode

Authentication

Rules, AGENTS.md, Workflows, and Skills require no separate authentication. MCP-backed steps use provider OAuth or environment-backed secrets; never embed tokens in customization files.

Tool Use

• Use Read to inspect only the repository files and configuration needed for the request.
• Use Grep to locate relevant settings, rules, logs, or code without broad collection.
• Use Write only for a new artifact the user requested; never write credentials or unreviewed production configuration.
• Use Edit for bounded, reviewable changes and preserve unrelated user work.
• Use only the command-scoped Bash entries declared in frontmatter, with non-destructive checks before mutations.

Instructions

Step 1: Choose the mechanism

Prefer .devin/rules/*.md for Rules. Legacy .windsurf/rules/ remains a fallback. Keep durable team knowledge in version control rather than relying on local auto-generated Memories.

Step 2: Create a Rule or AGENTS.md

Use a Rule for controlled activation:

---
trigger: glob
globs: "src/api/**/*.ts"
---

# API constraints
- Validate external input at the route boundary.
- Return the repository's standard error envelope.

Use a root or directory-level AGENTS.md when location alone should determine scope.

Step 3: Create a Workflow

Save manual procedures under .windsurf/workflows/<name>.md, within the documented 12,000-character limit:

# Review current pull request

1. Read the diff against the target branch.
2. Run the repository's required tests.
3. Report correctness, security, and regression findings with file locations.
4. Stop and ask for clarification when a finding cannot be resolved safely.

Invoke it explicitly as /review-current-pr. Workflows are Cascade-specific and are not automatically selected.

Step 4: Create a Skill

Use .windsurf/skills/<name>/SKILL.md when the procedure needs scripts, templates, or reference files. Devin Desktop also discovers cross-agent skills under .agents/skills/; use that location when portability is intentional.

Step 5: Verify activation

Test one matching and one non-matching request. Confirm a Rule's trigger, a Workflow's slash command, or a Skill's dynamic/explicit invocation. Record the file location and visible outcome.

Output

Create the selected customization in its documented location, explain why it is a Rule, AGENTS.md, Workflow, Skill, or Memory, state its activation behavior and scope, and provide matching and non-matching verification evidence.

Error Handling

Examples

"Use a Workflow for a release checklist that a human must start; use a Skill for test-and-fix guidance Cascade should select automatically with bundled scripts."

Resources

• Focused first-party references
• Rules, AGENTS.md, and Memories
• Workflows
• Skills

Related Skill

Use windsurf-policy-guardrails when the customization must be enforced through Hooks, CI, repository protection, or an organization-wide administrative policy.