Windsurf (now Devin Desktop): what it remembers, who owns it, and what it costs
thecontinuitylayer.com/coding-agents/windsurfThe AI editor formerly called Windsurf, whose docs now describe it as Devin Desktop with the Devin Local agent; the old docs address redirects there. Rules and AGENTS.md are injected into every session.
- 1Yes
Does Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) remember across sessions?
Yes, by Cognition's own page.
Always-on rules (AGENTS.md, .devin/rules, global rules) are injected at the start of every session; the older Cascade page says memories and rules carry context across conversations.
Yes means: Persistent instructions or stored memory carry into a new session without you pasting them again.
- 2Yes
Can you see what Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) remembered?
Yes, by Cognition's own page.
The Customize page's Rules tab lists the loaded rules; the older page says memories are viewable in the Customizations panel.
Yes means: A file or panel lists the stored memory.
- 3Yes
Can you edit Windsurf (now Devin Desktop)'s memory?
Yes, by Cognition's own page.
Rule files are edited directly; the older page says a memory can be opened and edited.
Yes means: The memory is editable by you.
- 4Partly
Can you delete or turn off Windsurf (now Devin Desktop)'s memory?
Partly, by Cognition's own page.
Rules are files you can remove; neither the current nor the older page describes deleting auto-generated memories or turning their generation off.
Yes means: A documented way to delete it or switch it off.
- 5Yes
Does Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) keep memory in a file you own?
Yes, by Cognition's own page.
Rules live in .devin/rules/*.md, .devin/global_rules.md and ~/.devin/rules, plus AGENTS.md; the older page puts memories under ~/.codeium/windsurf/memories/.
Yes means: The memory lives in a plain file on your machine or in your repository.
- 6Yes
Does Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) read a format other tools read?
Yes, by Cognition's own page.
AGENTS.md is read natively (root always on, subfolders scoped); legacy .windsurf/rules and .windsurfrules still load; CLAUDE.md is not mentioned.
Yes means: It reads a shared convention such as AGENTS.md, so the same file works elsewhere.
- 7Not stated
Does Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) use your code for training by default?
Cognition's pages do not say.
Two official pages disagree on the day checked: the admin security page says data may be used for training by default with an opt-out in Data Controls on paid plans; the security page says training happens only if you opt in. Graded not stated until the pages agree.
Yes means: Here no is the good answer: the maker's page says your data is not used for training. Yes means it is unless you opt out; partly means it depends on the plan or the page does not give the default.
- 8Yes
What does Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) cost?
Yes, by Cognition's own page.
A free plan exists; Pro at $20 a month is the entry paid plan, then Max $200; Teams $40 a seat.
Yes means: A free tier exists and the entry paid price is published.
What these grades say about continuity, and what they do not.
Every grade on this site is read from the maker's own pages. The Continuity Framework asks five things of any system that carries state: that it carry, govern, evolve, prove and forget. These tests reach carry, govern, prove and forget; they do not reach evolve, which no maker's page documents in a gradeable way. A high letter is a good coding agent, not a continuity layer.
- C1 RemembersCarry
- Remembering across sessions is question C1: state outlives the session that created it.
- C2 See itProve
- Being able to see the stored memory is the smallest form of question P1: the owner can inspect what is carried.
- C3 Edit itGovern
- An editable memory means the owner, not only the agent, has write authority (question G1, in part).
- C4 Delete itForget
- Deleting or switching off memory is rung 5 of the erasure ladder for the store the agent keeps; summaries and indexes it built are not covered unless documented. Rung 5 of the erasure ladder: delete the record.
- C5 Your fileCarry
- Memory in a file you own is portability by construction: question C3 answered without an export.
- C6 PortableCarry
- Reading a shared convention such as AGENTS.md is question C2: the same file works when the agent changes.
- C7 TrainingGovern
- Not training on your code by default is a scope boundary on the maker's side: what leaves the record and where it may go.
License as stated: Proprietary; no license stated in the docs.. Every grade above is read from Cognition's own page on the day shown. If a page has changed, tell us.