> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.llmeasy.ru/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cursor Rules, AGENTS.md, and .cursorignore explained

> Understand Cursor Rules, AGENTS.md, and .cursorignore for project context, rule inheritance, and index control.

## Short answer

Cursor Rules tell Cursor how to work in a project. `AGENTS.md` is a repository instruction file many coding agents can read. `.cursorignore` controls which files or directories Cursor should not index or read.

They all relate to project context, but they solve different problems: Rules guide behavior, `AGENTS.md` gives cross-agent instructions, and `.cursorignore` excludes content.

## Comparison

| File / feature     | Main role                                                   |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| Cursor Rules       | Project, team, or user-level rules for Cursor               |
| `AGENTS.md`        | Cross-agent repository instructions and collaboration norms |
| `.cursorignore`    | Files or directories Cursor should ignore                   |
| API Key / Base URL | Model request setup, not project rules                      |

## Good content for Rules

* Project coding style
* Framework conventions
* Component and directory rules
* Test and validation requirements
* Cursor editing behavior

## Good content for .cursorignore

* Large build artifacts
* Dependency directories
* Generated files
* Sensitive directories that should not be indexed
* Large files unrelated to current development

## Common mistakes

* Writing API Keys in Rules or `AGENTS.md`.
* Treating `.cursorignore` as a complete security system.
* Keeping outdated rules that mislead the AI.
* Thinking Base URL configuration replaces project rules.
* Mixing Cursor Rules with Claude Code `CLAUDE.md`.

## About LLMEasy

LLMEasy handles model API access and usage visibility. Cursor Rules, `AGENTS.md`, and `.cursorignore` handle project context and editing behavior.

API access is only the first step. Long-term output quality depends heavily on clear rules and controlled context.

## Related docs

* [How to configure a custom OpenAI API in Cursor](/en/faq/cursor/custom-openai-api)
* [How to configure MCP in Cursor](/en/faq/cursor/mcp)
* [What is AGENTS.md in Codex CLI?](/en/faq/codex/agents-md)
* [What is CLAUDE.md in Claude Code?](/en/faq/claude-code/claude-md)

## References

* [Cursor Rules](https://cursor.com/docs/rules)
* [Cursor ignore file](https://cursor.com/docs/reference/ignore-file)