How to install AGENTS.md
Get the file at talaia.dev/agentsmd and save it asAGENTS.md at the root of your repository. Each tool reads it from a different place; this page says where.AGENTS.md is an open format, so most coding agents read it as is.
Coding agents — in the terminal, the editor, or the cloud
Codex (CLI, IDE extension, cloud)
Reads AGENTS.md at the root of the repository. Nothing to do.
Docs: Custom instructions with AGENTS.md
Claude Code
Reads CLAUDE.md, not AGENTS.md. Create aCLAUDE.md at the root, next to AGENTS.md, with one line that imports it:
@AGENTS.md
Docs: How Claude remembers your project
Gemini CLI
Reads GEMINI.md by default. Tell it to read theAGENTS.md at the root instead, in.gemini/settings.json:
{ "context": { "fileName": "AGENTS.md" } }Docs: Provide context with GEMINI.md files
Cursor
Reads AGENTS.md at the project root, in the editor and in the CLI, alongside any .cursor/rules. Nothing to do.
Docs: Rules
GitHub Copilot (coding agent, CLI, VS Code)
Reads AGENTS.md at the repository root, next to.github/copilot-instructions.md if you have one. Nothing to do.
Docs: Adding repository custom instructions
Windsurf
Reads AGENTS.md at the root as an always-on rule. Nothing to do.
Docs: AGENTS.md
Aider
Reads CONVENTIONS.md by default. Point it at theAGENTS.md at the root, in .aider.conf.yml:
read: AGENTS.md
or per session with aider --read AGENTS.md.
Docs: Specifying coding conventions
Chat apps — no repository
Paste the text of the file as the instructions of a project or a custom assistant, so it is read on every turn. Its git rules will not apply there; the rest does.
ChatGPT
Open a project and click Add instructions. For every chat, Settings → Personalization → Custom instructions.
Docs: Projects in ChatGPT · Custom instructions
Claude
Open a project and set its project instructions.
Docs: How can I create and manage projects?
Gemini
Create a Gem (web app only) and put the text in its instructions. For every chat, Settings → Instructions for Gemini.
Docs: Tips for creating custom Gems · Customize Gemini's responses with your instructions