AI tool cheat sheets / Cursor
Cursor rules tips and cheat sheet
Cursor is an AI-native code editor whose behavior you steer with rule files and @ mentions. This cheat sheet covers .cursor/rules .mdc files, AGENTS.md, globs, and the precedence order so the Agent follows your conventions. Start minimal and add rules only when the Agent repeats a mistake.
Last verified: 2026-07-06. Free tiers and features change, so check the official site.
At a glance
- What it is
- An AI-native code editor built for agentic, multi-file edits.
- How to steer it
- Rule files plus @ mentions that pull specific files into context.
Rules and context
.cursor/rules/*.mdc Project rules with frontmatter.
Example: alwaysApply: true
AGENTS.md Simple markdown instructions in the root or nested dirs.
@filename Include a file in context.
Example: @utils.ts
@my-rule Manually invoke a rule in Agent chat.
alwaysApply: true Apply the rule every session, for project conventions.
globs: **/*.tsx Auto-attach a rule by file pattern, for React rules.
description: The Agent picks the rule when it is relevant.
/create-rule A chat command to generate a rule.
User Rules Global tone and style, in Customize then Rules.
Team Rules Dashboard-enforced, for teams.
Composer / Agent Multi-file edits; Tab completion is not affected by rules.
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Tips
Keep rules small
Keep a rule under about 500 lines and split it into composable .mdc files so the Agent can load only what it needs.
Reference, do not paste
Reference files with @, like @utils.ts, instead of pasting the whole codebase into a rule.
Nest files in monorepos
Use a nested AGENTS.md, like frontend/AGENTS.md, so each part of a monorepo gets its own instructions.
Know the precedence
Precedence runs Team, then Project, then User, so a team rule wins over your personal one.
It must be .mdc
A plain .md file inside .cursor/rules is ignored; it must be .mdc, or put the instructions in AGENTS.md.
User Rules skip inline edit
User Rules do not apply to the Cmd+K inline edit, only to Agent chat.
Add rules on repeat mistakes
Start minimal and add a rule when the Agent repeats the same mistake, then scope it with a glob like all .tsx files under src.
Commit rules to git
Check your rules into git so the team learns from failures, and import shared rules from GitHub as a Remote Rule in Customize.
Workflow ladder
Set User Rules for tone and style so every chat sounds like you.
Add an AGENTS.md in the repo root with your project conventions.
Use .cursor/rules with globs, plus @ file references, plus Team Rules for shared enforcement.
Frequently asked questions
- Are Cursor rules the same as AGENTS.md?
- No. AGENTS.md is plain markdown instructions, while .cursor/rules .mdc files add frontmatter like globs and alwaysApply for finer control over when a rule loads.
- Why is my Cursor rule being ignored?
- The most common cause is a plain .md file inside .cursor/rules; rules must use the .mdc extension, or you can move the instructions into AGENTS.md.
- Do rules change Tab autocomplete?
- No. Rules steer Composer and Agent chat, not Tab completion, and User Rules do not apply to the Cmd+K inline edit.
This is reference content. The prompts and settings run in your own AI tool, not on glunty, so reading this page makes zero requests to those services. Details change often, so verify current pricing and limits on the official site.
Official reference: Cursor docs. Details change, so verify version-specific features there.
Related on glunty: Developer cheat sheets, Coding prompts, Claude tips.
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