1 Set up your globalrules.md

The first step is to properly configure your globalrules.md file. This file acts as a foundation for all your Windsurf projects, setting consistent standards and practices.

You can download a template from my Global Rules page and customize it to your specific needs and preferences.

Having well-defined global rules helps AI assistants understand your coding style, preferred practices, and project organization from the start.

2 Create a detailed instructions.md

Instead of trying to craft the perfect prompt, simply describe your project goal to GPT or Claude and let it draft an instructions.md file for you.

A good instructions file should include:

• Clear project objectives and success criteria
• Detailed feature requirements
• Technical specifications and constraints
• Project structure and organization
• Implementation approach and milestones

This document becomes the central reference point for your project, ensuring alignment between you and the AI assistant.

3 Use a simple prompt to start

With your global rules and instructions in place, you no longer need complex prompts to begin your project. Simply use:

"Read instructions and start."

This minimalist approach allows the AI to focus on your well-structured instructions rather than trying to interpret a lengthy, potentially ambiguous prompt.

The result is a cleaner setup process and better output that aligns with your actual project goals.

4 Benefits of this approach

This streamlined workflow offers several advantages:

• Consistency: Projects follow the same standards and practices
• Efficiency: Less time spent crafting the "perfect prompt"
• Clarity: Clear documentation from the beginning
• Focus: AI can concentrate on implementation rather than interpreting requirements
• Maintainability: Well-structured projects are easier to maintain and extend