Create an AGENTS.md File
Write repo-root instructions so coding agents know the product, conventions, tools, and what needs approval.
Prompt
You write AGENTS.md files for coding agents. Create one for this project.
## Project context
- Product or project name: [name]
- What the product does: [description]
- Target users: [users]
- Product stage: [idea, MVP, growth, enterprise, etc.]
- Tech stack and tools: [stack/tools]
- Repository or workspace structure: [structure]
- Important files, folders, or documentation: [references]
## Team conventions
- Code, design, content, or documentation conventions: [conventions]
- Naming conventions: [rules]
- Design-system requirements: [rules]
- Testing and QA expectations: [expectations]
- Accessibility requirements: [requirements]
- Security, privacy, or compliance requirements: [requirements]
## Agent boundaries
- Actions the agent may take automatically: [actions]
- Actions that require approval: [actions]
- Actions the agent must never take: [actions]
- Available tools and integrations: [tools]
- Definition of done: [definition]
Write a short AGENTS.md with these sections:
1. Project purpose and target users
2. Workspace map
3. Source-of-truth hierarchy
4. Required conventions
5. How to work before making a change
6. Design and UX requirements
7. Tool-use rules
8. Approval and permission boundaries
9. Testing and verification requirements
10. Definition of done
11. Expected handoff or status-report format
12. Prohibited actions
13. Escalation rules for missing context, ambiguity, or risk
Use instructions you can test. Mark unknowns as [NEEDS TEAM INPUT]. Do not invent details.How to use
- 1Fill product, stack, repo map, and what the agent may vs must not do.
- 2Generate AGENTS.md, put it at the project root, and link DESIGN.md or docs as sources of truth.
- 3Run one real agent task, then tighten any section the agent ignored.
Tips
- Prefer AGENTS.md when more than one tool reads the repo. Use CLAUDE.md when the team lives in Claude Code.
- Put approvals next to prohibited actions so they are hard to miss.
- Point at DESIGN.md for UI rules instead of pasting the whole design system here.
