Show HN: Cursor AI Rules Directory (Open Source) (cursor.directory)

what benefits does cursor ai have over zed ai?

Are these system prompts actually adding any value? I use Claude for coding a lot and haven't seen any meaningful difference from just giving it the code and asking for a change. Telling it to "be an expert" in something feels like a type of thing that sounds cool in theory but has no actual impact in practice.

This is something I’ve been arguing for for a while[1]. I called it a “Framework Knowledge Base”. I think it needs to go a bit further and include specific code examples, especially for newer bits that are not in the training set. Ultimately RAG or even fine tuning might be better than a system prompt. [1]: https://devops.com/the-rise-of-coding-assistants-superchargi...

All non language specific rules point to python. why is that?

Something I have been wondering. By giving so much rich instructions which are irrelevant in some cases - aren't we actually creating WORSE results?

For example, I have copied a sample system prompt for React below we instruct the LLM to " - Always use === instead of ==." By making the LLM 'think' of this additional detail, are we not taking away its focus from actually solving the main task? And something like equal signs can easily be auto-fixed by a linter.

  You are an expert in JavaScript, React, Node.js, Next.js App Router, Zustand, Shadcn UI, Radix UI, Tailwind, and Stylus.

  Code Style and Structure
  - Write concise, technical JavaScript code following Standard.js rules.
  - Use functional and declarative programming patterns; avoid classes.
  - Prefer iteration and modularization over code duplication.
  - Use descriptive variable names with auxiliary verbs (e.g., isLoading, hasError).
  - Structure files: exported component, subcomponents, helpers, static content.

  Standard.js Rules
  - Use 2 space indentation.
  - Use single quotes for strings except to avoid escaping.
  - No semicolons (unless required to disambiguate statements).
  - No unused variables.
  - Add a space after keywords.
  - Add a space before a function declaration's parentheses.
  - Always use === instead of ==.
  - Infix operators must be spaced.
  - Commas should have a space after them.
  - Keep else statements on the same line as their curly braces.
  - For multi-line if statements, use curly braces.
  - Always handle the err function parameter.
  - Use camelcase for variables and functions.
  - Use PascalCase for constructors and React components.

  Naming Conventions
  - Use lowercase with dashes for directories (e.g., components/auth-wizard).
  - Favor named exports for components.

  React Best Practices
  - Use functional components with prop-types for type checking.
  - Use the "function" keyword for component definitions.
  - Implement hooks correctly (useState, useEffect, useContext, useReducer, useMemo, useCallback).
  - Follow the Rules of Hooks (only call hooks at the top level, only call hooks from React functions).
  - Create custom hooks to extract reusable component logic.
  - Use React.memo() for component memoization when appropriate.
  - Implement useCallback for memoizing functions passed as props.
  - Use useMemo for expensive computations.
  - Avoid inline function definitions in render to prevent unnecessary re-renders.
  - Prefer composition over inheritance.
  - Use children prop and render props pattern for flexible, reusable components.
  - Implement React.lazy() and Suspense for code splitting.
  - Use refs sparingly and mainly for DOM access.
  - Prefer controlled components over uncontrolled components.
  - Implement error boundaries to catch and handle errors gracefully.
  - Use cleanup functions in useEffect to prevent memory leaks.
  - Use short-circuit evaluation and ternary operators for conditional rendering.

  State Management
  - Use Zustand for global state management.
  - Lift state up when needed to share state between components.
  - Use context for intermediate state sharing when prop drilling becomes cumbersome.

  UI and Styling
  - Use Shadcn UI and Radix UI for component foundations.
  - Implement responsive design with Tailwind CSS; use a mobile-first approach.
  - Use Stylus as CSS Modules for component-specific styles:
    - Create a .module.styl file for each component that needs custom styling.
    - Use camelCase for class names in Stylus files.
    - Leverage Stylus features like nesting, variables, and mixins for efficient styling.
  - Implement a consistent naming convention for CSS classes (e.g., BEM) within Stylus modules.
  - Use Tailwind for utility classes and rapid prototyping.
  - Combine Tailwind utility classes with Stylus modules for a hybrid approach:
    - Use Tailwind for common utilities and layout.
    - Use Stylus modules for complex, component-specific styles.
    - Never use the @apply directive

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