# Vibe Coding with Windsurf
This guide outlines best practices and workflows for effectively using Windsurf to manage and develop your codebase.
## 1. Visual Component Mapping with Mermaid
Create Mermaid diagrams to visualize relationships between core components. This helps in:
- Understanding system architecture
- Identifying dependencies
- Planning new features
- Onboarding new team members
## 2. Comprehensive Documentation Strategy
Maintain detailed markdown documentation that covers:
- Core component descriptions
- Independent component functionality
- Component interactions
- Use cases and examples
- Step-by-step tutorials
**Best Practice**: Build on existing documentation and continuously update as the codebase evolves.
## 3. Focused Conversations
Keep chats focused and organized:
- Break discussions into specific topics
- Save conversation summaries in the `Chatlog` folder
- Cross-reference related conversations
- Maintain shorter context lengths for better responses
## 4. Strategic Model Usage
Leverage different AI models based on the task:
- **Reasoning Models**: Architecture understanding, planning
- **Instruction Models**: Code implementation, task execution
## 5. Memory Management
Track important discoveries and milestones:
- Update agent memory with new insights
- Revise documentation to reflect new understanding
- Adjust previous assumptions when necessary
- Access memories through 'Additional Options' in Cascade
## 6. Checkpoint System
Implement a robust checkpoint system:
- Save working versions in the `Checkpoints` folder
- Include timestamps in filenames
- Document changes between checkpoints
- Maintain version history for rollback capability
## Best Practices Summary
1. **Visual Documentation**: Use Mermaid diagrams for system visualization
2. **Detailed Documentation**: Maintain comprehensive markdown files
3. **Focused Development**: Break work into manageable chunks
4. **Strategic AI Usage**: Use appropriate models for specific tasks
5. **Memory Management**: Record and update important insights
6. **Version Control**: Save and track progress through checkpoints
Remember to regularly update this documentation as your workflow evolves and new best practices emerge.