PathruleWindsurf acts.
Pathrule remembers.
Shared rules and team context for Windsurf, through Pathrule's MCP tools it calls for what applies to the folder it is working in. Pathrule installs no hook in Windsurf, so a strict rule arrives there as guidance.
WindsurfexampleWithout
Done. The page fetches /api/orders in a useEffect.
Uses fetch where the team uses the api client.2 tries
With Pathrule
when Windsurf asks over MCP: 3 notes for features/orders
- Use the api client, not fetch
- React Query for data
- Shared buttons from ui/
Done. Orders load through the api client with React Query.
Matches what the team already decided.1 try
How Pathrule reaches Windsurf.
- files it reads: nofiles it reads
- None: Pathrule writes only its MCP entry
- before each prompt: nobefore each prompt
- No prompt hook
- around tool calls: noaround tool calls
- No hooks
- when it asks: yeswhen it asks
- Local
No hooks and no files: Windsurf reaches the knowledge through Pathrule's MCP tools when the agent asks for it.
Windsurf rules vs Pathrule
- Cascade memories, scoped rules and AGENTS.md
- Changes follow repository permissions and its Git or pull-request history.
- Context depends on the files and guidance the client loads.
- Tied to Windsurf; other tools need their own files.
- Onboarding follows the repository’s instruction setup.
- Shared workspace knowledge through MCP
- Reviewable rules and skills with server-enforced workspace access and a self-audit.
- Token cost scales with the relevant slice, not the whole rule set.
- Same content reaches Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and GitHub Copilot.
- Onboarding = "join the workspace; the right rules show up on the right paths".
Long read: Why AI coding assistants need scoped rules.
What Pathrule adds to Windsurf
- MCP deliveryWhen Windsurf asksWindsurf calls Pathrule's MCP tools and gets what applies to the folder it is working in. Nothing arrives before the agent asks.
- Path-scoped graphRules where they applyKnowledge is attached to paths, and the MCP tools return what applies to the directory Windsurf asks about. The rules file stops being a dumping ground.
- Reviewable team knowledgeMemories, rules, skillsThree knowledge types, reviewable in Local Console and VS Code, with shared Cloud authoring through MCP. Stale rules surface for cleanup, and concurrent edits conflict cleanly instead of overwriting each other.
- Same content, every agentOne source for every agentClaude Code, Codex, Cursor and GitHub Copilot receive the same path-scoped knowledge, so editor choice does not fragment what the team knows.
Questions.
What does Pathrule add to Windsurf?
A path-scoped knowledge layer for Windsurf: MCP tools it can call for the memories, rules and skills that apply to the directory it is working in. Pathrule installs no hook in Windsurf, so knowledge is not injected before the agent asks and rules are guidance rather than a block.
Is Pathrule a replacement for my Windsurf rules?
No. Pathrule is a layer above your Windsurf rules. Keep them for repository-wide constants; Pathrule carries the knowledge that is path-specific, that has to survive the person who learned it, or that is about how you prefer the work done, and Windsurf reads the part that applies to where it is working over MCP.
Can my whole team share Windsurf rules through Pathrule?
Yes. In a Pathrule Cloud workspace, rules and skills are shared in a path-indexed graph with server-enforced workspace access, and every teammate's Windsurf can read them, as can Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and GitHub Copilot.
How does Pathrule install into Windsurf?
Run npm i -g @pathrule/cli, then pathrule setup in your project (add --local to run with no account). Setup adds a local MCP entry to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json, as it does for every AI client, and writes no Windsurf file into your repository. There is no hook for Windsurf. pathrule uninstall windsurf removes the entry.
Does Pathrule see my source code?
No. Pathrule does not automatically upload your repository source code. In local mode there is no account and knowledge stays on your machine. In cloud mode, Pathrule Cloud stores the memories, rules and skills your team writes, and the start of each prompt is sent to rank what applies. Full breakdown on the Security page.