Prompt Library

A powerful VS Code extension that enables teams to manage, search, and utilize a centralized library of AI prompts. Admins can create and manage prompts, while users can browse, search, and send prompts directly to Windsurf's chat input.

Features

🔍 Search & Filter

• Full-text search across prompt labels and content
• Filter prompts by category or keyword
• Quick access to relevant prompts

👥 Role-Based Access

• Admin Mode: Create categories, add/edit/delete prompts
• User Mode: View, search, and use prompts (read-only)
• Configurable per workspace or user

🚀 Windsurf Integration

• Send prompts directly to Windsurf's chat input with one click
• Configurable command for custom integration
• Automatic clipboard fallback if Windsurf command unavailable

📦 Organized Structure

• Hierarchical categories for prompt organization
• Support for unlimited nesting
• Persistent storage using VS Code's global state

⚡ Easy to Use

• Tree view interface in Explorer sidebar
• Right-click context menus for admin actions
• Inline buttons for quick actions

Installation

1. Install the extension from VS Code Marketplace or load it locally
2. The extension activates automatically when viewing the Prompt Library view
3. Configure your role and preferences (see Configuration section)

Usage

For Users

1. View Prompts

   • Open the Explorer sidebar
   • Look for "Prompt Library" view
   • Browse categories and prompts

2. Search Prompts

   • Click the 🔍 search icon in the Prompt Library header
   • Type your search query
   • Results filter in real-time across all prompt text and labels
   • Click the ✕ icon to clear search

3. Use a Prompt

   • Click any prompt to send it to Windsurf's chat input
   • A notification confirms the action
   • Prompt is ready to use in Windsurf

For Admins

1. Create a New Category

   • Click the ➕ add icon in the Prompt Library header
   • Enter a category name (e.g., "React Patterns", "API Design")
   • Category appears in the tree view

2. Add a Prompt to a Category

   • Right-click on a category
   • Click "Add Prompt" (➕ button)
   • Enter a label (e.g., "Custom Hook Template")
   • Enter the full prompt text
   • Prompt is saved and visible immediately

3. Delete a Prompt

   • Right-click on any prompt
   • Click "Delete Prompt" (🗑️ button)
   • Confirm the deletion
   • Prompt is removed permanently

4. Add Top-Level Prompts (Optional)

   • Use the "Add Prompt" command from the Prompt Library menu
   • Prompts without a category appear at the root level

Configuration

Configure the extension in VS Code Settings (Cmd+, / Ctrl+,):

User Role

"promptLibrary.userRole": "user"  // or "admin"

• user: View and search prompts (default)
• admin: Full access to create, edit, and delete prompts

Windsurf Integration

"promptLibrary.windsurf.enabled": true
"promptLibrary.windsurf.command": "windsurf.sendToChat"

• enabled: Enable/disable Windsurf integration
• command: Command to send prompts to Windsurf chat (default: windsurf.sendToChat)

Clipboard Fallback

"promptLibrary.copyToClipboard": false

• true: Always copy prompt to clipboard in addition to Windsurf
• false: Only use Windsurf or fallback to clipboard (default)

Data Storage

• Prompts are stored in VS Code's global state
• Data persists across sessions
• Default prompts are loaded on first installation:
  • Front End: React, Vue, Angular
  • Back End: Node.js, Python, Java

Default Prompts

The extension comes pre-populated with example prompts:

Front End/
├── React - "Create a React component that..."
├── Vue - "Generate a Vue 3 composition API example for..."
└── Angular - "Build an Angular service that..."

Back End/
├── Node.js - "Create an Express route that..."
├── Python - "Write a Flask endpoint that..."
└── Java - "Implement a Spring Boot controller that..."

Admins can delete these and add their own!

Commands

All commands are accessible via Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P):

How Windsurf Integration Works

When you click a prompt:

1. Primary: Attempts to execute the configured Windsurf command with the prompt text
2. Fallback: If Windsurf command fails or is disabled, copies prompt to clipboard
3. Both: If copyToClipboard is enabled, does both simultaneously

Custom Windsurf Command

If your Windsurf extension uses a different command name, update the configuration:

"promptLibrary.windsurf.command": "your.custom.command"

The extension will pass the prompt text as the first argument.

Example Workflows

Workflow 1: Team Prompt Library

1. Admin creates categories: "API Design", "Code Review", "Documentation"
2. Admin populates with team-approved prompts
3. Users search and send prompts to Windsurf for code generation
4. Users get consistent, team-approved AI assistance

Workflow 2: Multi-Language Support

1. Admin creates categories per language: "Python", "JavaScript", "Go"
2. Admin adds language-specific prompts and boilerplate patterns
3. Users switch contexts and find relevant prompts instantly
4. Team maintains consistency across codebases

Workflow 3: Knowledge Base

1. Admin creates categories: "Performance", "Security", "Testing"
2. Admin adds battle-tested prompts from code reviews
3. Junior devs learn best practices through prompts
4. Reduces back-and-forth reviews

Troubleshooting

Prompts not persisting?

• Check that you're not in a session-only workspace
• Verify promptLibrary is not listed in excluded extensions

Windsurf command not working?

• Verify Windsurf extension is installed
• Check that promptLibrary.windsurf.command matches Windsurf's actual command name
• Enable promptLibrary.copyToClipboard as temporary workaround
• Check VS Code output for error messages

Can't find prompts in search?

• Ensure search term matches prompt label or content
• Clear search and try again
• Check user role is not set to admin-only view

Known Issues

• Windsurf command name may vary by extension version—check Windsurf documentation
• Large prompt libraries (1000+ items) may have slight tree view lag
• Multi-line prompts require careful editing (single input dialog)

Future Enhancements

• [ ] Export/import prompt libraries
• [ ] Prompt versioning and history
• [ ] Collaborative editing with comments
• [ ] Prompt usage analytics
• [ ] Multi-line prompt editor UI
• [ ] Prompt tags and metadata
• [ ] Integration with other AI chat extensions

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please open issues and PRs on GitHub.

License

MIT

Tips:

• For Teams: Share configuration via .vscode/settings.json in your repo
• For Power Users: Export prompts regularly as backup
• For Admins: Start with a few key prompts and expand based on team feedback

Enjoy building with Prompt Library! 🚀