Cursor + Windsurf Settings to 5x AI’s Output Quality (Works with VS Code too)
AI Summary
Summary of AI Context Video
Importance of Context for AI
- AI cannot guess everything in real-world product development.
- Providing concrete context is key, not just better prompts or more powerful models.
Rules File for AI Coding Assistants
- A rules file can enhance the performance of AI coding assistants across various code editors.
- Context from the rules file is included in all AI interactions (e.g., composer runs, chat, GitHub Co-pilot sessions).
Code Editors and Rules Files
- VS Code: GitHub Code Pilot instructions.
- Cursor: Cursor rules file at the root of the repository.
- Wind Surf: Recently released Wind Surf rules.
Creating and Using a Rules File
- Adding a greeting (“ho ho ho”) to the beginning of every output as an example.
- Verifying the rules file by explicitly stating the applied rule in the output.
Content of the Rules File
- Project Context: A short description of the project’s purpose, not the implementation.
- Codebase Structure: Outlining the structure, such as monorepo, front-end, back-end, Chrome extension, and shared packages.
- Tech Stack: Specifying the tech stack to prevent AI from introducing random dependencies.
- Specific Preferences: Detailing preferences for specific implementations, like Chrome manifest V3 for Chrome extensions.
- Git Commit Preferences: Outlining how to categorize and frame commit messages.
- Commenting Guidelines: Instructing AI on when to include comments in the code.
Principles for Maintaining the Rules File
- Keep the file concise to avoid confusing the AI.
- Update the file continuously as new issues are discovered.
Iterative Approach
- Add rules only when AI consistently makes mistakes.
- Provide critical context for the project.
Future Improvements
- Conditional inclusion of context files for different tasks.
- Automatic addition of preferences to the rules file based on user interactions with AI.
Conclusion
- A well-maintained rules file can significantly improve the reliability of AI coding assistants.
- The video encourages viewers to check out other AI coding assistant pro tips.
Note
- No detailed instructions such as CLI commands, website URLs, or specific tips were provided in the text for extraction.