Does Cursor still use a root .cursorrules file?

That file is legacy and will be deprecated. Copy it into a new .mdc rule, set the type to Always Apply, which matches the old behavior, and delete .cursorrules. A plain .md file in .cursor/rules is ignored. Use AGENTS.md for plain markdown.

Which Cursor rules win when they conflict?

Applicable Team Rules, Project Rules, and User Rules are merged. On a conflict, Team Rules take precedence, then Project Rules, then User Rules. A nested AGENTS.md combines with parent files, and more specific instructions take precedence. CLAUDE.md is always applied, regardless of alwaysApply.

Fix

Cursor .cursorrules vs AGENTS.md

Answer

Cursor Agent reads Team Rules, .mdc files in .cursor/rules, User Rules, and plain AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md. A plain .md file in .cursor/rules is ignored. A root .cursorrules file is legacy and will be deprecated. When Team Rules, Project Rules, and User Rules conflict, precedence is Team Rules, then Project Rules, then User Rules.

Scope Tool-agnostic. Written against Cursor project rules (.mdc), Claude Code CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, and GitHub Copilot repository instructions as documented on 2026-10-15.

Last verified 2026-10-15

The Vibe Coder Starter pack ships AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, and a .mdc rule under .cursor/rules. Its pinned scope is: Tool-agnostic. Written against Cursor project rules (.mdc), Claude Code CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, and GitHub Copilot repository instructions as documented on 2026-10-15. A plain .md file in .cursor/rules is ignored. A root .cursorrules file is legacy. Attachment modes are /fixes/cursor-mdc-rule-frontmatter. Claude Code file choice is /fixes/claude-code-claude-md-vs-agents-md.

Project rules are .mdc files in .cursor/rules, including subfolders. A plain .md file there is ignored, because it has no frontmatter for description, globs, and alwaysApply. Use AGENTS.md for plain markdown. Create one with /create-rule or New Cursor Rule in the command palette, and commit it. The CLI reads those project rules, plus a root AGENTS.md and a root CLAUDE.md, and applies them together.

AGENTS.md has no metadata. A root file applies across the repo. A nested AGENTS.md applies when Agent works on files in that directory or its children. Nested instructions combine with parents, and more specific instructions take precedence. Cursor reads CLAUDE.md the same way it reads AGENTS.md. A root CLAUDE.md is picked up automatically and is always applied, regardless of an alwaysApply frontmatter setting. Conditional rules belong in .cursor/rules.

User Rules in Customize, under Rules, sync with the account and apply in every project. Files in ~/.cursor/rules stay on that machine and do not sync. Team Rules on Team and Enterprise plans, from the dashboard, can take a glob. **/*.py limits the rule to matching files, and no glob means every conversation. Enforce this rule stops members from disabling it. Leave Enable this rule immediately unchecked and the rule stays a draft. On a conflict, Team Rules take precedence, then Project Rules, then User Rules.

@service-template.ts points Agent at a file. The file is not inlined into the prompt, so required text belongs in the rule body. Rules apply to Agent chat and do not apply to Tab completion, Inline Edit, or Bugbot PR reviews. Migrate .cursorrules by copying it into a new rule, setting Always Apply, and deleting the old file. Checked against https://cursor.com/docs/rules and https://cursor.com/help/customization/rules.

Last verified 2026-10-15. doc-verified.

Pro

Unity 6, Godot 4, and Next.js Pro rules, $1+

$1+ · pay what you want

Advanced rules for the same stacks as the free packs: Unity 6 Pro (Netcode, URP, Addressables, tests), Godot 4 Pro (multiplayer, GDExtension and C#, saves, export), and Next.js 16 + Supabase Pro (RLS, getClaims, Stripe webhooks, caching). Each pack is AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, Cursor .mdc, and Copilot instructions. The Phaser 4, three.js, and FastAPI packs stay on the Gumroad download as a bonus. 12 months of free updates.

Each pack ships as AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, Cursor .mdc, and Copilot instructions, with 12 months of free updates.

From the Unity 6 Pro rules

Mark an RPC with `[Rpc(SendTo.Server)]` and end the method name in `Rpc`. A missing `Rpc` suffix is an error. Do not write new `[ServerRpc]` or `[ClientRpc]` methods.
A client asks the server with `SendTo.Server`. The server talks to observers with `SendTo.NotServer`, or `SendTo.ClientsAndHost` when a host must run the method too. There is no direct client-to-client connection. The server forwards it.
Keep shared state on a `NetworkVariable<T>` and use `.Value`. It is sent to clients already connected and to a client that joins later. An RPC is not. Write `.Value` from the server when write permission is `NetworkVariableWritePermission.Server`.
Put a `NetworkObject` on the networked prefab and spawn it on the server. Do not use the removed UNet types `NetworkIdentity`, `[Command]`, or `UnityEngine.Networking`.

Unity 6, Godot 4, and Next.js Pro rules, $1+

Vibe Coder Starter pack — Safe defaults for any AI coding agent, in any stack.

doc-verified

Sources in the pack

Docs

Questions

Why is my Cursor rule ignored?: Cursor Agent reads Team Rules, .mdc files in .cursor/rules, User Rules, and plain AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md. A plain .md file in .cursor/rules is ignored. A root .cursorrules file is legacy and will be deprecated. When Team Rules, Project Rules, and User Rules conflict, precedence is Team Rules, then Project Rules, then User Rules.
Does Cursor still use a root .cursorrules file?: That file is legacy and will be deprecated. Copy it into a new .mdc rule, set the type to Always Apply, which matches the old behavior, and delete .cursorrules. A plain .md file in .cursor/rules is ignored. Use AGENTS.md for plain markdown.
Which Cursor rules win when they conflict?: Applicable Team Rules, Project Rules, and User Rules are merged. On a conflict, Team Rules take precedence, then Project Rules, then User Rules. A nested AGENTS.md combines with parent files, and more specific instructions take precedence. CLAUDE.md is always applied, regardless of alwaysApply.
When was this Cursor rule-file rule last checked?: Last verified 2026-10-15. doc-verified.