> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ctpf.q-uestionable.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Assistant Formats

> Supported coding assistant instruction file formats

CXP supports poisoning instruction files for 6 coding assistants. Each assistant reads a specific file from the repository to customize code generation behavior.

## .cursorrules

**Assistant:** Cursor
**Format ID:** `cursorrules`
**File Location:** `.cursorrules` (repository root)
**Syntax:** Plain text

The `.cursorrules` file contains rules that Cursor reads to customize code generation.

## CLAUDE.md

**Assistant:** Claude Code
**Format ID:** `claude-md`
**File Location:** `CLAUDE.md` (repository root)
**Syntax:** Markdown

`CLAUDE.md` is Claude Code's project context file, read at session start to understand project conventions.

## .github/copilot-instructions.md

**Assistant:** GitHub Copilot
**Format ID:** `copilot-instructions`
**File Location:** `.github/copilot-instructions.md`
**Syntax:** Markdown

GitHub Copilot reads organization-level instructions from this file. These instructions influence code suggestions in any IDE where Copilot is enabled.

## AGENTS.md

**Assistant:** Multi-assistant (cross-assistant standard)
**Format ID:** `agents-md`
**File Location:** `AGENTS.md` (repository root)
**Syntax:** Markdown

`AGENTS.md` is a cross-assistant convention for project-level agent instructions. Multiple coding assistants may read this file.

## GEMINI.md

**Assistant:** Gemini Code Assist
**Format ID:** `gemini-md`
**File Location:** `GEMINI.md` (repository root)
**Syntax:** Markdown

`GEMINI.md` provides instructions specifically for Gemini Code Assist.

## .windsurfrules

**Assistant:** Windsurf IDE
**Format ID:** `windsurfrules`
**File Location:** `.windsurfrules` (repository root)
**Syntax:** Plain text

`.windsurfrules` contains behavioral rules for the Windsurf IDE coding assistant.

## Format Comparison

| Assistant          | Format ID              | File                              | Syntax     |
| ------------------ | ---------------------- | --------------------------------- | ---------- |
| Cursor             | `cursorrules`          | `.cursorrules`                    | Plain text |
| Claude Code        | `claude-md`            | `CLAUDE.md`                       | Markdown   |
| GitHub Copilot     | `copilot-instructions` | `.github/copilot-instructions.md` | Markdown   |
| Multi-assistant    | `agents-md`            | `AGENTS.md`                       | Markdown   |
| Gemini Code Assist | `gemini-md`            | `GEMINI.md`                       | Markdown   |
| Windsurf           | `windsurfrules`        | `.windsurfrules`                  | Plain text |

## Generating Poisoned Files

Generate poisoned files for any format using the format ID:

```bash theme={null}
qai cxp generate --format cursorrules --rule hardcoded-secrets --output-dir ./test-repo
qai cxp generate --format copilot-instructions --rule shell-true --output-dir ./test-repo
```

## Multi-Format Testing

Test a single poisoned rule across all assistants:

```bash theme={null}
for fmt in cursorrules claude-md copilot-instructions agents-md gemini-md windsurfrules; do
  qai cxp generate --format $fmt --rule exfil --output-dir ./repo-$fmt
done
```

Each repo contains the same malicious rule in different format conventions. Test each with the corresponding assistant to compare vulnerability rates across tools.