📋 Comprehensive Cursor Rules Best Practices Guide

If you want your AI coding assistant to actually “get” your project, great rules are non-negotiable. But writing effective Cursor rules isn’t just about dumping a list of do’s and don’ts—it’s about structure, clarity, and showing real patterns that match how your team works.

This guide cuts through the noise, breaking down proven best practices for crafting Cursor rules that work—what to include, what to avoid, and how to organize everything for maximum clarity and impact. Whether you’re managing a monorepo or fine-tuning a startup codebase, these strategies will help you get more from AI, improve code quality, and keep your team moving fast. Let’s get into it.

🎯 What Works Well

1. Structure & Organization

  • Proper YAML frontmatter (description, globs, alwaysApply fields)
  • Logical categorization by feature (backend, frontend, testing, etc.)
  • Consistent markdown formatting
  • Modular rule files

2. Content Best Practices

  • Start with clear, high-level context
  • Explicit essential elements (SDK versions, imports, error handling)
  • Include concrete examples (markdown format, comments)
  • Explicitly mark deprecated patterns
  • Provide clear verification steps

3. Effective Rule Types

  • Always: Framework/language guidelines
  • Auto Attached: File-pattern matching
  • Agent Requested: Context-based intelligent application
  • Manual: Explicit attachment when needed

4. Technical Patterns

  • Emphasize functional programming over OOP
  • Strong type safety (TypeScript, strict mode)
  • Consistent naming conventions (directories, files, functions)
  • Structured error handling (guard clauses, early returns)
  • Mandatory testing with explicit patterns

⚠️ What to Avoid

1. Structural Mistakes

  • Unclear markdown bullets
  • Random YAML without frontmatter
  • Inconsistent formatting
  • Overly complex files (break into modules)

2. Content Anti-Patterns

  • Generic or vague rules
  • Missing examples (always show correct/incorrect)
  • Outdated rules
  • Ignoring edge cases
  • No verification criteria

3. Technical Pitfalls

  • Unmarked deprecated APIs
  • Mixed framework versions in examples
  • Neglected security best practices
  • Ignoring performance considerations
  • Treating testing as an afterthought

Framework Organization Pattern

.cursor/rules/
├── workspace.mdc
├── architecture.mdc
├── backend.mdc
├── frontend.mdc
├── testing.mdc
└── README.md

🎨 Content Strategy

Effective Rule Categories

  • Framework-specific patterns (Medusa, React)
  • Language conventions (TypeScript, naming)
  • Architecture patterns (modules, services, APIs)
  • Security practices (validation, auth)
  • Performance optimization (caching, queries)
  • Testing strategies (unit, integration, e2e)
  • Development workflow (git, CI/CD)

Example Quality Indicators

✅ Real-world complete examples

✅ Contextual explanations

✅ Edge-case handling

✅ Explicit version guidance

✅ Clear integration patterns

🔄 Maintenance Best Practices

  • Regularly update with framework changes
  • Test rules with diverse prompts
  • Maintain real-world examples
  • Remove outdated patterns
  • Incorporate new project experiences

Quality Assurance

  • Test problematic requests
  • Validate deprecated warnings
  • Address ambiguous instructions
  • Monitor generated code quality
  • Collect team feedback

💡 Key Insights

  • Explicit structured rules over vague suggestions
  • Concrete examples trump descriptions
  • Consistency over perfection
  • Contextual clarity is essential
  • Continuous maintenance required

📊 Granularity vs. Grouping

Optimal Granularity

  • Split rules when:
    1. File patterns differ
    2. Framework/tool variations
    3. Different developer roles/workflows
    4. Large rule sets (>500 lines)
    5. Distinct contexts (testing vs. components vs. API)
  • Group rules when:
    1. Patterns are closely related
    2. Same file patterns
    3. Same workflow
    4. Small rule sets (<100 lines)
    5. Shared principles

Recommended Testing Rules Split

.cursor/rules/
├── testing-unit.mdc        # Unit tests
├── testing-integration.mdc # Integration tests
├── testing-e2e.mdc         # E2E tests

Why Split Testing?

  • Different file patterns/tools
  • Distinct developer workflows
  • Specific best practices (mocking, real DBs, user interactions)

📋 Recommended Medusa Project Structure

Current:

.cursor/rules/
├── medusa-development.mdc
├── remix-storefront.mdc
├── typescript-patterns.mdc
├── testing-patterns.mdc
└── remix-hook-form-migration.mdc

Optimized:

.cursor/rules/
├── medusa-backend.mdc      # API, modules, services
├── remix-frontend.mdc      # Components, routes, forms
├── typescript-patterns.mdc # Language specifics
├── testing-unit.mdc        # Unit testing
├── testing-e2e.mdc         # E2E testing
└── migration-guides.mdc    # All migrations

🔧 Implementation Tips

  • Begin broad, then split as complexity grows
  • Clear naming conventions
  • Cross-reference rules
  • Monitor usage effectiveness
  • Incorporate regular team feedback

The above strategies ensure Cursor rules are effective, maintainable, and valuable for team workflows.

Published on May 29, 2025.