How to make and share diagrams with Windsurf
Windsurf (the AI code editor from Cognition (formerly Codeium)) can draw architecture diagrams, flowcharts, and sequence diagrams, but on its own they end up as text in the chat or a file only you can open. Connect Diagram once and every diagram Windsurf makes becomes a link you can share, which stays current as the diagram changes.
1. Connect Diagram to Windsurf
Windsurf connects with an address that has a personal key in it. Sign in to Diagram and the setup page gives you yours, with the exact steps.
2. Ask for a diagram
Open your repo in Windsurf and open Cascade, then describe what you want in plain words. For example:
- “Draw how a request flows through this app, from the browser to the database.”
- “Make an architecture diagram of this repo and give me a link I can share.”
- “Diagram the checkout flow, then update it after we add the fraud check.”
- “Show the data model as an entity diagram.”
Windsurf draws it, keeps it in your repo’s diagrams/ folder, and gives you a link. You never have to mention Diagram again: it knows to use it.
3. Share the link
Paste it in Slack, a pull request, or a doc. Diagrams start private; add people to the project, share it with your team, or make one public. When it changes, ask Windsurf to update it: the link stays the same and every version is kept.
Questions
- Is Diagram free to use with Windsurf?
- Yes. Diagram is free for 5 projects, and there's nothing to install.
- Who can see my diagrams?
- Only you, until you share. Add people to a project, share it with your team through an org, or make a single diagram public so anyone with the link can open it.
- What happens when the diagram changes?
- Ask Windsurf to update it. The new version lands at the same link, and every earlier version is kept.
- Does Windsurf need an API key?
- It uses an address with a personal key in it, which the setup page makes for you.
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