Rules Configuration in AI

From the Cursor cheat sheet ยท Context Management ยท verified Jul 2026

Rules Configuration

Set persistent coding rules and patterns

yaml
# Rule file locations
.cursor/rules/         # Project-specific rules
AGENTS.md             # Simple project rules
User Settings > Rules  # Global user rules

# Rule file format (.cursor/rules/*.mdc)
---
description: API Standards
globs: ["**/*.api.ts"]
alwaysApply: false
---
- Use REST conventions
- Include error handling
- Add JSDoc comments

# Legacy: root .cursorrules still loads but is
# ignored in Agent mode - migrate to .cursor/rules/*.mdc

# Rule behaviors
Always         # Always included in context
Auto Attached  # Included with matching files
Agent Requested # AI decides inclusion
Manual         # Only when mentioned
yaml
// EXAMPLE: Project rules in .cursor/rules/style.md
---
description: Code style guide
alwaysApply: true
---
- Use TypeScript strict mode
- Prefer const over let
- Use async/await over callbacks
- Add error boundaries to components
๐Ÿ’ก Rules persist across all conversations
โšก Project rules override user rules
๐Ÿ” Globs target specific file patterns
๐Ÿ“Œ AGENTS.md for simple rule lists
rulesconfigurationcontext

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