Using Workflows

Using Workflows to Automate Repetitive Tasks

Workflows in Windsurf (also known as Custom Workflows) are designed to minimize the tedium associated with repetitive tasks by defining a series of steps for Cascade to follow.

Creating a New Workflow:

1. 1. Access Customizations: Click the "Customizations" icon (often a book or gear icon, typically top-right).
2. 2. Navigate to Workflows: Select the "Workflows" tab.
3. 3. Add New Workflow: Click the "Add New" button.
4. 4. Define Invocable Name: Enter a unique name used to trigger the workflow (e.g., test_new_changes). This name will be used with a / prefix.
5. 5. Write Description: Provide a high-level summary of what the workflow does.
   • • Example: "Test new changes before committing."
6. 6. Define Content (Instructions): This is where you outline the steps for Cascade.
   • • You can start with some context for Cascade.
     • • Example: "I just finished making a feature to my game Windsurf Demo. To wrap things up, I want to:"
   • • Then, list the specific steps:
     1. 1. Stage the changes.
     2. 2. Write unit tests.
     3. 3. Test the code.
     4. 4. Fix any issues that appear in step 3.
     5. 5. Draft a PR.
     6. 6. Commit the code.

Invoking a Workflow:

• • Slash Command: In Cascade, type /[workflow_invocable_name].
  • • Example: /test_new_changes
• • Providing Context: You can provide initial context to Cascade before running the workflow.
  • • Example: "I want to test the new feature I implemented, score decay over time. Run /test_new_changes"

How Cascade Executes Workflows:

• • Contextual Understanding: Cascade first tries to understand the current state of your code.
• • Sequential Execution: It follows the defined steps in order.
• • Problem Solving: Cascade can handle issues encountered during execution (like failed tests) and attempt to fix them if such steps are part of the workflow.
• • Autonomous Operation: Workflows can run with minimal to no user intervention, allowing you to focus on other tasks.

Benefits of Workflows:

• • Reduce Tedium: Automate common, multi-step processes.
• • Easy to Set Up: Create workflows directly in the Windsurf interface.
• • Shareable: Scale best practices by sharing workflows with your team.
• • Efficiency: Accelerate development by standardizing and automating tasks.

Workflows are a powerful way to tailor Windsurf to your specific development processes and boost productivity. 3. Deploy to staging environment 4. Run smoke tests 5. Deploy to production with approval

Code Review Workflow:

1. 1. Check for lint errors and fix them
2. 2. Ensure all tests pass
3. 3. Update documentation if needed
4. 4. Create pull request with proper template
5. 5. Request appropriate reviewers

Advanced Features

Conditional Steps: Include logic for different scenarios within workflows.

Parameter Passing: Accept inputs to customize workflow execution.

Team Sharing: Share workflows across your development team for consistency.

Version Control: Track workflow changes and improvements over time.

Best Practices

• • Write specific, actionable steps rather than vague instructions
• • Include error handling and alternative paths
• • Test workflows thoroughly before sharing with team
• • Use descriptive names and clear documentation
• • Update workflows as processes evolve

Example Workflow Structure

---
description: Deploy application to staging
---

1. Ensure all tests pass locally
2. Check that main branch is up to date
3. Build application with production settings
4. Deploy to staging environment
5. Run smoke tests on staging
6. Notify team of deployment completion

Workflows turn Cascade into a powerful automation engine for your development processes.