We split this AGENTS.md into the rules it gives an agent

47 rules. About 0 are common, 25 are distinctive, and 22 are very specific to this project.

• ≈0

  Common · estimate

  Many files like this have a rule of this kind.

• ≈25

  Distinctive · estimate

  This author's own choices. Worth a look.

• 22

  Very specific

  Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

• Common
• Distinctive
• Very specific

1. Distinctive:

   Write code that is accessible, performant, type-safe, and maintainable.

   line 17
2. Distinctive:

   Use explicit types for function parameters and return values when they enhance clarity

   line 21
3. Very specific:

   Prefer unknown over any when the type is genuinely unknown

   line 22
4. Very specific:

   Use const assertions (as const) for immutable values and literal types

   line 23
5. Distinctive:

   Use meaningful variable names instead of magic numbers - extract constants with descriptive names

   line 25
6. Distinctive:

   Use arrow functions for callbacks and short functions

   line 29
7. Very specific:

   Prefer for...of loops over .forEach() and indexed for loops

   line 30
8. Very specific:

   Use optional chaining (?.) and nullish coalescing (??) for safer property access

   line 31
9. Distinctive:

   Prefer template literals over string concatenation

   line 32
10. Distinctive:

    Use destructuring for object and array assignments

    line 33
11. Very specific:

    Use const by default, let only when reassignment is needed, never var

    line 34
12. Very specific:

    Always await promises in async functions - don't forget to use the return value

    line 38
13. Very specific:

    Use async/await syntax instead of promise chains for better readability

    line 39
14. Distinctive:

    Don't use async functions as Promise executors

    line 41
15. Distinctive:

    Use function components over class components

    line 45
16. Distinctive:

    Call hooks at the top level only, never conditionally

    line 46
17. Very specific:

    Use the key prop for elements in iterables (prefer unique IDs over array indices)

    line 48
18. Distinctive:

    Don't define components inside other components

    line 50
19. Distinctive:

    Use semantic HTML and ARIA attributes for accessibility:

    line 51
20. Distinctive:

    Use proper heading hierarchy

    line 53
21. Distinctive:

    Add labels for form inputs

    line 54
22. Very specific:

    Use semantic elements (<button>, <nav>, etc.) instead of divs with roles

    line 56
23. Very specific:

    Remove console.log, debugger, and alert statements from production code

    line 60
24. Very specific:

    Use try-catch blocks meaningfully - don't catch errors just to rethrow them

    line 62
25. Distinctive:

    Prefer early returns over nested conditionals for error cases

    line 63
26. Distinctive:

    Keep functions focused and under reasonable cognitive complexity limits

    line 67
27. Distinctive:

    Use early returns to reduce nesting

    line 69
28. Distinctive:

    Prefer simple conditionals over nested ternary operators

    line 70
29. Very specific:

    Add rel="noopener" when using target="_blank" on links

    line 75
30. Very specific:

    Avoid dangerouslySetInnerHTML unless absolutely necessary

    line 76
31. Very specific:

    Don't use eval() or assign directly to document.cookie

    line 77
32. Distinctive:

    Avoid spread syntax in accumulators within loops

    line 82
33. Distinctive:

    Use top-level regex literals instead of creating them in loops

    line 83
34. Distinctive:

    Prefer specific imports over namespace imports

    line 84
35. Distinctive:

    Avoid barrel files (index files that re-export everything)

    line 85
36. Very specific:

    Use proper image components (e.g., Next.js <Image>) over <img> tags

    line 86
37. Very specific:

    Use Next.js <Image> component for images

    line 91
38. Very specific:

    Use next/head or App Router metadata API for head elements

    line 92
39. Distinctive:

    Use Server Components for async data fetching instead of async Client Components

    line 93
40. Very specific:

    Use ref as a prop instead of React.forwardRef

    line 96
41. Very specific:

    Use class and for attributes (not className or htmlFor)

    line 99
42. Very specific:

    Write assertions inside it() or test() blocks

    line 105
43. Distinctive:

    Avoid done callbacks in async tests - use async/await instead

    line 106
44. Very specific:

    Don't use .only or .skip in committed code

    line 107
45. Very specific:

    Keep test suites reasonably flat - avoid excessive describe nesting

    line 108
46. Distinctive:

    Meaningful naming: - Use descriptive names for functions, variables, and types

    line 115
47. Distinctive:

    Documentation: - Add comments for complex logic, but prefer self-documenting code

    line 119

≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 36,368 AGENTS.md files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

• Other versions1 project uses a version of this.

  Word for word · 1

  1. vercel-labs/npm.bet★ 66100% same

  Edited · 0

  None found.

  Wrote their own version · 0

  None found.

  How matches are found. Word for word: the exact same text. Edited: shares passages with this file (“99% same” means 99% of its five-word phrases also appear here; 10% or more counts). Their own version: similar meaning, or, weakest, the same name. We can’t tell which project had it first. Projects are counted among the 200 most-starred candidates, and mentions are links to the repository we found, up to 50 per site, so both counts are a floor.

• Where files are headingNew AGENTS.md files have more rules about keeping secrets out of the code, and fewer about code style.

  Of the AGENTS.md files we read, the 28,693 first seen in the last six months, against the older ones: the kind of rule that gained most share, and the kind that lost most. About files like this in general, not this one, and an estimate, since a kind is a pattern in the words.

• In this repository3 other files it gives its agents.

  • .claude/CLAUDE.mdCLAUDE.md
  • .github/copilot-instructions.mdCopilot instructions
  • .cursor/rules/ultracite.mdcCursor rule