Optimize Windsurf API performance with caching, batching, and connection pooling.
Use when experiencing slow API responses, implementing caching strategies,
or optimizing request throughput for Windsurf integrations.
Trigger with phrases like "windsurf performance", "optimize windsurf",
"windsurf latency", "windsurf caching", "windsurf slow", "windsurf batch".
Optimize Windsurf's indexing engine, Cascade context building, Supercomplete latency, and overall IDE responsiveness. Most performance issues stem from indexing too many files or missing exclusion patterns.
Prerequisites
Windsurf IDE installed
Understanding of workspace indexing
Access to Windsurf settings
Instructions
Step 1: Optimize Workspace Indexing
The indexing engine is the #1 performance factor. Exclude everything that isn't source code:
# DON'T: Open entire monorepo root
windsurf ~/monorepo/ # Indexes ALL packages = slow
# DO: Open specific service directories
windsurf ~/monorepo/apps/web/ # Only indexes web app
windsurf ~/monorepo/packages/api/ # Only indexes API
# Each Windsurf window gets its own focused AI context
# Cascade performs better with fewer, relevant files
## Cascade Performance Tips
1. Start fresh sessions for new tasks
- Long conversations accumulate context, slowing responses
- Click + in Cascade panel to start new conversation
2. Use @ mentions instead of describing files
- BAD: "Look at the auth service file"
- GOOD: "@src/services/auth.ts fix the token refresh logic"
3. Scope prompts narrowly
- BAD: "Refactor the authentication system"
- GOOD: "Extract JWT validation from src/middleware/auth.ts into src/services/jwt.ts"
4. Use Chat mode for questions, Write mode for edits
- Chat mode is lighter — doesn't build full edit context
- Switch modes based on intent
5. Choose the right model for the task
- SWE-1 Lite: fast, lightweight questions (no credits)
- SWE-1: standard coding tasks
- SWE-1.5 / Claude: complex multi-file tasks (worth the wait)
Step 5: Memory Management
## Reduce Memory Usage
1. Close unused editor tabs
- Each open file adds to memory footprint
- Cmd/Ctrl+K Cmd/Ctrl+U: close unused tabs
2. Limit extensions
- Each extension consumes memory
- Disable extensions you don't actively use
- Check: Extensions > "@enabled" to review
3. Disable unused Supercomplete languages
- Settings > codeium.autocomplete.languages
- Disable for languages you don't write
4. Monitor process memory
- Help > Open Process Explorer
- Look for extensions consuming >200MB
Step 6: Benchmark Your Setup
#!/bin/bash
set -euo pipefail
echo "=== Windsurf Performance Check ==="
# Workspace size
FILE_COUNT=$(find . -type f -not -path '*/node_modules/*' -not -path '*/.git/*' | wc -l)
echo "Indexed files: ~$FILE_COUNT"
# Config status
echo "Has .codeiumignore: $([ -f .codeiumignore ] && echo 'YES' || echo 'NO (SLOW!)')"
IGNORE_LINES=$(wc -l < .codeiumignore 2>/dev/null || echo 0)
echo "Ignore patterns: $IGNORE_LINES"
# Recommendations
if [ "$FILE_COUNT" -gt 5000 ]; then
echo "WARNING: >5000 files. Add more patterns to .codeiumignore"
fi
if [ "$IGNORE_LINES" -lt 5 ]; then
echo "WARNING: Few ignore patterns. Add build artifacts, binaries, lock files"
fi
