Kilo Code vs WindsurfComparisonUpdated 2026-03-18
SUMMARY
Kilo Code (IDE) uses markdown configuration while Windsurf (IDE) uses markdown. They differ on 4 of 11 compared features. Both tools provide AI-assisted development but take different approaches to project configuration.
FEATURE COMPARISON
| Feature | Kilo Code | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|
| Config format | markdown | markdown |
| Hierarchy support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Global config | ✗ | ✓ |
| Project config | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subdirectory scoping | ✗ | ✓ |
| File inclusion / imports | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ignore file | ✗ | .codeiumignore |
| IDE integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Schema / structure | Free-form (Markdown) | Free-form (Markdown) |
| Git committed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encoding | UTF-8 | UTF-8 |
FILE MAPPING
| Purpose | Kilo Code | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|
| Project rules | .kilorules | .windsurf/rules/*.md |
| Project rules | .kilo/rules-{mode-name}/*.md | AGENTS.md |
SIDE-BY-SIDE CODE SAMPLES
Kilo Code
.kilorules
markdown
# Project Rules
## Stack
- TypeScript 5.x with strict mode
- React 19 + Next.js 15 (App Router)
- Tailwind CSS v4 for styling
- Drizzle ORM for database access
## Code Standards
- Named exports only (no default exports)
- Prefer `const` assertions and satisfies operator
- Use Result<T, E> pattern for error handling
- Maximum 30 lines per function
## File Organization
- Colocate tests: `foo.ts` → `foo.test.ts`
- One component per file
- Barrel exports (index.ts) for public module APIs
## Git
- Conventional commits: feat|fix|chore|docs|test
- Squash merge feature branches
- Branch naming: type/description
Windsurf
.windsurf/rules/*.md
markdown
---
trigger: glob
globs: "**/*.test.ts"
---
# Testing Conventions
- Use Vitest as the test runner
- Colocate test files next to source files
- Use describe blocks organized by function/component name
- Prefer userEvent over fireEvent in component tests
- Mock external services; never hit real APIs in unit tests
KEY DIFFERENCES
Kilo Code: Not supported. Windsurf: Supported.
Kilo Code: Not supported. Windsurf: Supported.
Kilo Code: Not supported. Windsurf: Supported.
Kilo Code: Not supported. Windsurf: .codeiumignore.
WHICH SHOULD I USE?
Choose based on your IDE/CLI preference. If you use Kilo Code, configure .kilocodemodes. If you use Windsurf, configure .windsurfrules. Many projects include config files for multiple tools so each team member can use their preferred editor.
PORTABILITY TIP
sync-instructions.sh
bash
# Maintain a single source of truth:
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md CLAUDE.md
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md .cursorrules
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md AGENTS.md
SEE ALSO
File references:
agentconfig.ing2026-03-18COMPARE(1)