Cursor Rules .mdc
How it Works Guides & Blog
✨ Official Multi-file Architecture • Zero Context Bloat

The Modern Cursor Rules (.mdc) Generator

Old-school monolithic .cursorrules waste tokens and hallucinate. Configure scoped, path-matched .cursor/rules/*.mdc rule sets in seconds.

1. Frontend Framework

Pick one or none

2. Backend & Architecture

Pick one

3. UI, ORM & Database Modules

Multi-select

4. Code Quality & Guardrails

Global Best Practices
.cursor/rules/frontend.mdc ~240 tokens 
Loading rules...
How to use this .zip: Unzip and drop the generated .cursor/rules/ folder straight into your project root. Cursor will automatically match relevant rules to files using glob patterns without polluting unrelated contexts.
ARCHITECTURAL SHIFT

Legacy .cursorrules vs Modern .cursor/rules/*.mdc

Understanding why Cursor deprecated single-file rules in favor of scoped multi-file modules.

Feature / Criterion Legacy .cursorrules Modern .cursor/rules/*.mdc
File Layout Single monolithic file in project root Modular directory (.cursor/rules/*.mdc)
Context Token Usage 100% of rules injected into every prompt (Token bloat) Scoped: loaded only when editing matched glob patterns
Path Scoping (Globs) Not supported (cannot isolate backend from frontend) Native globs: app/** support in YAML frontmatter
Rule Independence Rules easily conflict and dilute AI attention Isolated concerns (frontend.mdc, backend.mdc, db.mdc)
Cursor IDE Support Deprecated / Backward compatibility only Official 2026 Recommended Standard

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Cursor's modern .mdc rules system.

Why did Cursor replace .cursorrules with .mdc files?

A single .cursorrules file forces the AI to load entire styling, database, and backend rules into every prompt—wasting context tokens and confusing the model. The new .cursor/rules/*.mdc format uses glob patterns (like app/**) to load instructions only when relevant files are being edited.

What is the YAML frontmatter in .mdc files?

Each .mdc file begins with a header defining its scope: description explains when to apply the rule, globs defines matching file patterns, and alwaysApply specifies if it should run unconditionally across all files.

How does this differ from Cursor's built-in /Generate command?

Cursor's internal command requires an existing, mature codebase to analyze. When you are starting a fresh project from scratch (cold start), our generator provides battle-tested production blueprints and pre-configured architectural guardrails ready before you write your first line of code.

Can I use these rules with Claude Code or Windsurf?

Yes! Simply switch the export tab in the top right to **Claude Code** (generates CLAUDE.md) or **Windsurf** (generates .windsurfrules). The rules logic stays aligned across all your AI development workflows.