Rules
Write how you want every tool to behave once. Alwen turns it into each tool's own format.
Every AI tool has its own place for standing instructions: Claude Code reads CLAUDE.md, Codex reads AGENTS.md, Cursor reads .cursorrules. Keeping them in sync by hand doesn't last. In Alwen you write rules once, in rules/, and every tool gets them.
---
type: rule
title: "Global rules"
tags: [rule, global]
---
## Always
- Check the vault before suggesting anything about my work.
- Keep answers short; lead with the answer.
## Never
- Delete notes. Propose an archive instead.
- Act on money, deletion, or contacting people without asking me first.
## Tone
- Direct, warm, no fluff.What Alwen generates
Every commit that touches rules/ or profile.md rebuilds these files in .alwen/. Tools that connect live also read the same rules through get_rules.
| File | Used by |
|---|---|
.alwen/CLAUDE.md | Claude Code |
.alwen/AGENTS.md | Codex and other agents that read AGENTS.md |
.alwen/.cursorrules | Cursor |
.alwen/connector-blurb.txt | A short version for connectors with a length limit |
.alwen/grok-bot-description.txt | The description that makes every Grok Bot check the vault first |
.alwen/mcp.json | Tools that read their connection settings from a file |
Scopes
rules/global.md applies everywhere. Add more files for narrower rules — rules/writing.md, rules/product.md — and each becomes its own section in the compiled files.
Suggested rules
When a tool notices a standing preference, it can suggest a rule with propose_rule. The suggestion waits in the inbox and only applies once you confirm it. Tools never change your rules directly.