In our first blog, we shared how developers can take their very first step into AI assisted development, especially with Magento and Shopify. We focused on easing into AI with small, practical wins, like using lightweight models and experimenting with Shopify features for quick results. But once you take that first step, the next question naturally arises: how do we make AI adoption sustainable and scalable across a whole team?
For us at Codilar, the answer came with Windsurf Rules.
Why Rules Matter for Teams
Without rules, AI generated code can create as many problems as it solves. Different developers may get different outputs, styles clash, and reviews become repetitive. Security standards might slip, and performance bottlenecks can creep in unnoticed. Over time, this can lead to technical debt instead of efficiency.
With Windsurf Rules, we introduced guardrails that made AI adoption consistent and safe. Rules ensured that every line of code produced by AI aligned with our standards, frameworks, and security guidelines. This was the foundation for scaling AI across multiple developers and projects.
Windsurf Rule Templates – A Practical Starting Point
One of the best things we discovered was Windsurf’s Rule Templates. These pre-defined templates gave us a head start instead of forcing us to create rules from scratch. For Magento, in particular, the templates covered:
- Architecture & Structure: Module setup, DI, repositories, and MVVM patterns.
- Coding Standards: PSR-12 compliance, naming conventions, docblocks.
- Security & Performance: Input validation, caching, and prevention of SQL injection.
- Testing & QA: Unit and integration tests.
- Compliance & Deployment: PCI, GDPR, and environment best practices.
👉 For developers who want to dive deeper, here’s our detailed reference:
Magento 2 Backend Rules & Best Practices
By leaning on these templates, our team avoided weeks of trial and error. Instead, we had a clear playbook to keep AI generated output in line with Magento and Shopify best practices.
Implementing Rules in Practice
Rolling out Windsurf Rules does not have to be overwhelming. Our approach was:
- Start with 5 – 10 essential rules.
- Test them in small features before applying widely.
- Involve the team in shaping and refining rules.
- Update them as projects evolve.
This kept the adoption lightweight and team friendly. To help others, Codilar is happy to share a basic rules sheet that can be applied right away.
The Outcome of Windsurf Rules
By embedding Windsurf Rules into our workflow, AI turned from just a coding helper into a reliable development partner. For us, the results have been clear:
- 30% efficiency gains in bug fixes, design changes, and minor enhancements.
- Multi-fold efficiency in creating new modules and pages.
- Fewer review cycles and less refactoring.
- More consistent, secure, and maintainable code.
Conclusion
Windsurf Rules gave us a way to embed AI into our workflows without disruption, while boosting both speed and quality. We will also share more of our experiences with MCP Integrations, Testing, Cascade, Multi-Model Strategies, and Real-World Client Success in the next blog.
