ai_project_template / rules

---
description: Documentation file placement and naming standards
globs:
alwaysApply: true
---

# Documentation Standards

## CRITICAL: No .md Files in Project Root

**All documentation files MUST go in `docs/` folder, NOT in project root.**

### Naming Convention

**Format:** `YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_IDE_TOPIC_NAME.md`

**Example for Cursor:**
```
✅ docs/20251019_173407_Cursor_CODE_REVIEW_ANALYSIS.md
✅ docs/20251019_143022_Cursor_FEATURE_PLANNING.md
✅ docs/20251020_094523_Cursor_DATABASE_DESIGN.md

❌ CODE_REVIEW_ANALYSIS.md  (wrong location)
❌ docs/code-review.md  (missing timestamp and IDE)
```

### Components

- `YYYYMMDD` - Date
- `HHMMSS` - Time (24-hour)
- `IDE` - **Cursor** (for files you create)
- `TOPIC_NAME` - UPPERCASE_WITH_UNDERSCORES

### Get Timestamp (PowerShell)

```powershell
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd_HHmmss"
# Creates: 20251019_173407
```

## Allowed Root Files (Exceptions)

**ONLY these files can be in root:**
- `README.md`
- `LICENSE`
- `CLAUDE.md`
- `CHANGELOG.md`
- `CONTRIBUTING.md`

**Everything else → `docs/` folder**

## Benefits

1. ✅ Automatic chronological sorting
2. ✅ IDE attribution (Cursor, Claude, Windsurf, etc.)
3. ✅ Clean root directory
4. ✅ Easy to find latest docs

## Before Creating .md File

1. Is it README, LICENSE, CLAUDE.md, CHANGELOG, or CONTRIBUTING? → Root is OK
2. Anything else? → **MUST** go in `docs/`
3. Use format: `docs/YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_Cursor_TOPIC.md`

---

**Always follow this convention!**