title: Windsurf Session Management: What Codeium Doesn't Tell You
tags: windsurf, ai, programming, productivity
Windsurf by Codeium has been gaining traction as an AI coding IDE, but there's one area where it still struggles: session persistence.
If you've experienced a Windsurf crash mid-session, you know the frustration. The AI was understanding your project, making smart suggestions, helping you debug a tricky issue... and then after the restart, it's like starting from scratch.
The Session Problem in Windsurf
Windsurf's AI capabilities are impressive, but session management has gaps:
- Crash recovery is incomplete — After a crash, you might get partial session restoration, but the AI's deep understanding of your current task is often lost
- No session history browser — Unlike git, there's no way to browse previous session states
- Context doesn't survive restarts — Close and reopen your project, and the AI context resets
- No cross-session memory — What the AI learned in yesterday's session doesn't carry over
Why This Matters More Than You Think
The value of an AI coding session isn't just the code produced. It's the accumulated understanding:
- How your components connect and communicate
- The specific coding patterns you prefer
- The edge cases you've identified
- The architectural decisions and their rationale
Rebuilding this takes time — time you've already spent once.
Practical Solutions
1. Automatic Session Snapshots
Mantra supports Windsurf alongside Claude Code and Cursor. It monitors your session files and creates automatic snapshots. After a crash, you can restore to any previous session state through a visual timeline interface.
Install: mantra.gonewx.com — macOS, Linux, Windows
2. Project Context Files
Create a .windsurf/context.md or similar file in your project:
# Project: MyApp
- Stack: Next.js 15, Prisma, PostgreSQL
- Currently working on: Payment integration
- Known issues: Race condition in webhook handler
3. Session Boundaries
Instead of marathon sessions, use focused 1-hour blocks:
- Start each block with a clear objective
- Summarize key decisions at the end
- Use the summary to prime the next session
Comparison: How AI IDEs Handle Sessions
| Feature | Windsurf | Cursor | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crash recovery | Partial | Partial | JSONL logs |
| Session history | ❌ | Limited | ❌ |
| Context persistence | ❌ | Limited | CLAUDE.md |
| Compaction warning | N/A | ❌ | ✅ |
| External snapshot tool | Mantra ✅ | Mantra ✅ | Mantra ✅ |
Bottom Line
Windsurf is a great tool, but don't trust it to manage your session state. Use external tools and practices to protect your accumulated context. Your future self will thank you.
Protect your Windsurf sessions: mantra.gonewx.com — free, local-first session snapshots.
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