20 of the best prompts for preventing unwanted code refactoring, step by step across 4 stages. Works with ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
20 of the best prompts for preventing unwanted code refactoring, step by step across 4 stages. Works with ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Published June 28, 2026
Getting Preventing Unwanted Code Refactoring right takes more than a single prompt. This 4-stage guide covers Diagnose the Wall, Isolate and Fix, Verify the Resolution, and more, breaking the whole process into focused steps where each prompt builds on the last. Windsurf sometimes restructures or rewrites code that was not part of the requested task, causing unexpected changes. This can lead to broken functionality or wasted time as developers undo unwanted edits. These prompts help developers control Windsurf's editing scope, ensuring only intended changes are made. Every prompt is optimized and runs in ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Identify the specific rules or instructions Windsurf is ignoring.
Identify Ignored Rules
Please review the following content from my CLAUDE.md file: [PASTE CONTENT]. Identify any rules that have been ignored in previous tasks. For each rule, confirm your understanding and explain which specific rule should have been applied to the last task. Additionally, provide suggestions on how to better adhere to these rules in future tasks.
Check Cascade Mode Actions
Please provide a comprehensive list of all the files modified in Cascade mode during the last task. For each file, include a brief explanation of why the modifications were necessary, detailing the specific changes made and their intended impact on the overall project. Additionally, highlight any dependencies or interactions with other files that were affected by these changes. Format your response in a clear, structured manner, with each file listed separately along with its corresponding explanation.
Review Recent Changes
Please provide a detailed summary of the changes made in the last session. Include a list of all modified files, emphasizing any alterations that were not explicitly mentioned in the original task. For each file, describe the nature of the changes and their potential impact on the overall project. Additionally, highlight any important decisions made during this session that influenced these modifications.
Analyze Task Scope
Given the following task description: [PASTE TASK DESCRIPTION], analyze and explain the criteria you used to determine the scope of files that need to be edited. Include specific factors such as dependencies, file relevance, and potential impact on the overall project. Additionally, outline any assumptions you made during this analysis and how they influenced your decision-making process. Provide a summary of your findings in a structured format that highlights key points.
Evaluate Rule Compliance
Evaluate my recent actions based on the rules outlined in CLAUDE.md. Please provide a detailed analysis of any discrepancies you find, including specific examples of actions that do not align with the established rules. Additionally, suggest potential improvements or adjustments I can make to ensure better compliance moving forward. Format your response in a structured manner, highlighting key areas of concern and recommendations for each discrepancy identified.
Focus on correcting the specific areas where Windsurf overstepped its bounds.
Undo Unwanted Changes
Identify all files that have been modified but were not included in the original task description. Provide a detailed list of these files along with the specific changes made to each. Then, create a step-by-step plan to revert these changes, ensuring that only the files relevant to the task remain altered. Include any potential risks or considerations to keep in mind during the reversion process.
Restrict Edit Scope
Please review the task described as follows: [PASTE TASK DESCRIPTION]. Identify the specific files that are mentioned for modification and confirm which of those files you will edit. Provide a brief explanation of the changes you plan to make to each file, ensuring that no other files are altered in the process. Additionally, outline any potential impacts these changes may have on the overall project.
Reapply Correct Rules
Please review the rules outlined in the CLAUDE.md document and apply them to the current task. Ensure that each rule is followed meticulously and provide a summary of how compliance is achieved for each rule. Additionally, highlight any areas where adjustments were necessary to meet the requirements and explain the rationale behind those changes. Format your response as a detailed report that includes specific examples from the current task to illustrate adherence to the rules.
Limit Cascade Mode
Please disable Cascade mode for the current session. Confirm that only the specified files, which are [LIST OF FILES], will be edited during this session. Additionally, provide a brief summary of the changes that will be made to each of these files and ensure that no other files are affected by this operation.
Correct Misapplied Edits
Identify and review the edits made during the last session. Highlight any that do not align with the task requirements and explain why they are misapplied. For each misapplied edit, provide a corrected version that better fits the intended purpose of the task. Additionally, summarize the overall impact of these corrections on the project and suggest any further improvements that could enhance the quality of the work.
Ensure that the unwanted changes have been successfully undone and the correct edits applied.
Confirm Reversion Success
Please confirm that all unintended changes in the code have been successfully reverted. Provide a detailed summary of the current state of the code, including any modifications that were made during the reversion process. Highlight any areas that may still require attention or further review, and ensure that the code adheres to the original specifications. Additionally, include any relevant notes on potential impacts or considerations for future changes.
Validate Edit Scope
Please validate the edit scope for the task by reviewing the modified files. Confirm that only the files listed in the task description have been changed. For each file, provide a brief summary of the modifications made and their current state, including whether they are functioning as intended or if there are any issues that need to be addressed. Additionally, include any recommendations for further action if necessary.
Run Compliance Check
Please conduct a compliance check against the rules outlined in CLAUDE.md. Identify any areas where the current implementation may not adhere to these rules and provide a detailed report on your findings. Include specific examples of any non-compliance issues, recommendations for how to address them, and an overall assessment of compliance status. Format the report clearly, with sections for each rule and its compliance status, and ensure it is comprehensive enough for stakeholders to understand the current compliance level.
Execute Test Suite
Please execute the full test suite for the project to verify that all functionalities are working as expected after the recent changes. Provide a detailed report of any tests that failed, including the specific errors encountered and the components affected. Additionally, summarize the overall test results, indicating the percentage of tests that passed versus failed, and highlight any areas that may require further attention or debugging.
Generate Change Report
Please generate a detailed change report that outlines all modifications made during the last session. The report should include a summary of each change, the rationale behind it, and how it aligns with the original task scope. Additionally, specify any deviations from the plan and provide an assessment of their impact on the overall project. Format the report in a clear and organized manner, using bullet points for easy readability, and ensure it is at least one page long.
Create mechanisms to ensure future tasks adhere strictly to specified instructions.
Draft New CLAUDE Rule
Based on the recent issue that occurred, help me draft a new rule to add to my CLAUDE.md document to prevent this from happening again. The rule should clearly outline the specific behavior or action that needs to be avoided, the rationale behind the rule, and any consequences for non-compliance. Please provide the exact text I can copy and paste directly into my document, ensuring it is concise yet comprehensive enough to be easily understood by all team members.
Create Task Checklist
Create a comprehensive checklist for future tasks to ensure all steps align with CLAUDE.md rules before execution. The checklist should include specific items such as verifying compliance with the guidelines, confirming all necessary approvals are obtained, and ensuring that all relevant documentation is in place. Additionally, include steps for reviewing the task's objectives and outcomes to prevent any recurrence of issues. Format the checklist in a clear, organized manner with bullet points for easy reference.
Implement Naming Conventions
Please provide a detailed naming convention for task files that clearly indicates which files require editing. Include specific examples of naming formats that could be used, such as prefixes or suffixes that denote the status of the file (e.g., "edit_", "review_", "final_"). Explain the rationale behind your suggestions and how this convention can help prevent confusion in the editing process. Additionally, outline any best practices for maintaining consistency in file naming across a team or project.
Develop Session Opener
Create a session opener checklist that ensures all participants confirm the task scope and compliance with established rules before any editing begins. The checklist should include items such as verifying the objectives of the session, confirming understanding of the rules, and ensuring all necessary resources are available. Additionally, include a section for participants to express any concerns or questions they may have about the task. Format the checklist for easy use, with clear instructions and space for notes.
Establish Project Guard
Create a detailed project guard mechanism that monitors and alerts when any edits are made outside the specified task scope for a project. The guard should define the parameters of the task scope, including the types of edits that are allowed and the specific areas of the project that are off-limits. Outline the alert system, specifying how notifications will be sent (e.g., email, dashboard alert) and who will receive them. Additionally, include a process for reviewing and addressing unauthorized edits, ensuring that the project remains aligned with its original objectives. Provide a flowchart or diagram to illustrate how this mechanism will function within the project management framework.
In Cascade mode, Windsurf autonomously edits files it deems related to the task. This can lead to unintended changes if the task scope isn't clearly defined.
Use precise task descriptions and update your CLAUDE.md with specific rules to limit the files Windsurf can modify.
CLAUDE.md is a rules file that guides Windsurf's actions, ensuring it follows project-specific instructions during code editing.
Run a compliance check against your CLAUDE.md and review the change report to verify adherence to your instructions.
Yes, you can disable Cascade mode to prevent Windsurf from making autonomous multi-file edits, ensuring it only modifies specified files.
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