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dev-workflows supports two output modes, configured during devw init or in .dwf/config.yml.

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Copy Mode (default)

mode: copy
Writes compiled content directly into the target files. This is the simplest and recommended mode.

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Link Mode

mode: link
Writes compiled files to .dwf/.cache/ and creates symlinks from the expected output paths. Useful if you want a single source of truth without duplicating content. When using link mode, .dwf/.cache/ is automatically added to .gitignore.

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Markers

When compiling to CLAUDE.md or GEMINI.md, the generated content is wrapped in markers: 
<!-- BEGIN dev-workflows -->
# Project Rules

## Conventions

- Always use named exports.

<!-- END dev-workflows -->
If you have manual content outside the markers, it is preserved on recompile. This lets you keep hand-written rules alongside generated ones.

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Which bridges use markers?

Not all bridges use BEGIN/END markers. It depends on whether the output file is shared with other content:
BridgeOutputMarkersWhy
Claude CodeCLAUDE.mdYesFile may contain manual rules
Gemini CLIGEMINI.mdYesFile may contain manual rules
VS Code / Copilot.github/copilot-instructions.mdYesFile is shared with other tools
Cursor.cursor/rules/devworkflows.mdcNoFile is fully managed by devw
Windsurf.windsurf/rules/devworkflows.mdNoFile is fully managed by devw
Files without markers are completely overwritten on each compile. Do not add manual content to these files — it will be lost.