The Most Important Rule of AI Developer Tools
I've talked a lot about increasing productivity with AI developer tools. While there are countless ways to optimize your workflow, one technique stands above the rest: the static rules file.
If you’re using tools like Cursor, Windsurf, or GitHub Copilot, you may have come across files like: “.cursorrules”, “.windsurfrules”, or “.github/copilot-instructions.md“. These files are static rules files that act as persistent context providers. They are sent with every request to the AI, ensuring the AI understands your project when generating suggestions. If you're not using them yet, you're leaving a huge amount of AI potential untapped.
What Is Context Manipulation?
The magic of AI developer tools lies in the context—the information they collect about your code, goals, and preferences and send to the AI model—to provide higher-quality results. Context manipulation is the practice of controlling and refining this input to increase the accuracy and quality of the results.
Since the static rules files can be directly controlled, they are one of the most powerful ways to manipulate the context. They act as a persistent prompt that is automatically included with every AI request your tool makes. Instead of repeating the same instructions every time, you set your rules once and let the AI work within them.
What Should a Static Rules File Contain?
A well-structured rules file should at least include:
Purpose of the Project
What is this project trying to achieve? Can even include key business logic and domain concepts.
Why? Helps the AI in small decisions, such as wording, etc.
Tech Stack
What languages, frameworks, and libraries are in use?
Project Structure
How is the code organized? Any naming conventions or file structure rules?
Why? Helps AI to create files to correct directories
Coding Standards & Best Practices
What coding style should be followed? Linting rules and formatting preferences.
UI/UX Guidelines (if applicable)
Design principles, preferred components, and accessibility requirements.
Tech Stack-Specific Instructions
Separate instructions for each part in the tech stack. Any specific instructions on how the library should be used.
By defining these key areas, you help the AI provide more accurate and useful suggestions.
Example Static Rules File
Here’s a sample file to get you started:
# Project Purpose This project is a web-based issue tracker that allows teams to manage and prioritize tasks efficiently. # Tech Stack - Frontend: Next.js, React, TypeScript, shadcn, TailwindCSS - Backend: Next.js, Supabase - Auth: Next-auth # Project Structure - app/ - Next.js application - components/ - React components - components/ui/ - shadcn components - components/base/ - Base components for UI - libs/ - Libraries and helpers # Coding Standards - Use PascalCase for component names - Use camelCase for file, function and variable names - Use single quotes (') over double-quotes (") in the logic - Use double quotes (") in JSX, TSX, HTML (when outputting HTML in JS) - Each file should have a starting comment with `@file` title and `Notes:` section that exaplains what the file does/contains/should be used for - Each function and code block should have comments on what it does - Always use the same indentation as in the code you are working on # UI/UX Guidelines - YOU MUST use `shadcn` instead of `shadcn-ui` - Use TailwindCSS for styling. # Typescript - Do not use `any` type - Always write separate typings for complex parameters, which should always be documented - When documenting types etc. always document every property separately with block comment instead of one block comment for the whole type # Next.js - Do not use 'next/router' for routing, use 'next/navigation' instead # React - Always use functional React - Never use default export for components, always use named exports - Always export fallback component if the component has data loading or hooks, which uses only Skeleton components - Every component MUST take className and data-testid props ...add rest of the tech stack items that need separate instructions
Feel free to modify this template based on your specific project needs.
Generating Static Rules File Automatically
A neat trick: ask your AI assistant to generate it for you. If you're using Cursor, simply provide the AI with access to your codebase and ask it to create a .cursorrules file.
Example prompt for Cursor:
You can use the prompt below to generate your own static rules file
"Based on this codebase, generate a .cursorrules file that includes project purpose, tech stack, project structure, coding standards, UI/UX guidelines, and separate instructions for each piece of tech stack."
This will give you a great starting point, which you can refine and expand over time. You can replace the name of the static rules file based on the tool you are using.
TL;DR
If you’re using AI developer tools, the most impactful way to improve their effectiveness is by setting up a static rules file such as .cursorrules. It provides persistent context, eliminates repetitive instructions, and makes your AI more accurate and helpful.
If you want more help on AI developer tools, consider 10x Developer Training and see if you are a good candidate for the 10x Developer Training. It has a proven track record of delivering value in just one focused day of training.
