Cursor Integration

Cursor uses .cursorrules files and .cursor/rules/ directories to load custom instructions into every AI interaction. Any skill from Skills Playground works directly as a cursor rule -- just copy the system prompt into your project.

What Are Cursor Rules?

Cursor rules are plain-text instructions that act as a system prompt for Cursor's AI assistant. When you open a project containing a .cursorrules file, Cursor reads the instructions and applies them to every AI interaction -- code generation, chat, inline edits, and auto-completions.

Think of cursor rules as an onboarding document for an AI pair programmer. They tell the AI about your tech stack, coding conventions, patterns to follow, and mistakes to avoid.

Quick Setup

1. Browse the Skills Playground directory and find a skill for your project
2. Click the skill to view its system prompt
3. Copy the system prompt text
4. Create a .cursorrules file at the root of your project
5. Paste the system prompt and save

That's it. Cursor will automatically read the file on your next AI interaction.

.cursorrules File

The most common approach. Create a single .cursorrules file at the root of your repository:

# Project: My Next.js App

## Tech Stack
- Next.js 15 with App Router
- TypeScript strict mode
- Tailwind CSS for styling
- Prisma ORM with PostgreSQL

## Conventions
- Use server components by default
- Add "use client" only when necessary
- Named exports, never default exports
- Colocate tests next to source files

## Avoid
- Never use `any` type
- No inline styles -- use Tailwind classes
- Don't use useEffect for data fetching

The file is plain text with no special syntax. Write clear, direct instructions. Commit it to version control so your whole team benefits.

Directory Rules (.cursor/rules/)

For larger projects, use a .cursor/rules/ directory with multiple .mdc rule files. Each file can specify glob patterns to control when it activates:

.cursor/
  rules/
    frontend.mdc     # Active for src/components/**
    backend.mdc      # Active for api/**
    testing.mdc      # Active for **/*.test.*
    general.mdc      # Always active

This keeps each rule set focused and avoids loading irrelevant instructions into the context window. You can use multiple skills from Skills Playground -- one per rule file -- to build a comprehensive setup.

Global Rules

Set personal preferences via Cursor Settings > General > Rules for AI. Global rules apply to every project on your machine. Use these for personal style preferences that aren't project-specific, like "prefer functional programming" or "always add type annotations."

When rules conflict, directory rules override project rules, and project rules override global rules.

Tips for Effective Rules

• Keep it under 500 lines. Everything in .cursorrules is loaded on every interaction, consuming context window space.
• Be specific. "Use TypeScript strict mode with no implicit any" is better than "write good TypeScript."
• Combine skills. Paste multiple Skills Playground system prompts into one file or split them across .cursor/rules/ files.
• Update regularly. Review your rules as your stack evolves.

For the full guide to cursor rules, see our Cursor Rules Guide. To find skills for your project, browse the skills directory.