A · Task DesignBeginner30 min read
3. Context management for code agents
AI Coding with Cursor · 44 pages source format
Agents work best with focused context. Open relevant files, use .cursorrules, and keep conversations scoped to one feature at a time.
What you'll learn
- .cursorrules
- Focused context
- Conversation scoping
Write .cursorrules
Project conventions the agent should always follow: test framework, naming, lint rules, commit style.
# .cursorrules
- Use Vitest for tests, not Jest
- Components in PascalCase, hooks in camelCase with "use" prefix
- All API calls go through src/api/client.ts
- Prefer functional components with TypeScript
- Run `npm run lint` before considering a task doneDo this now
Create .cursorrules with 5 project-specific rules. Run an agent task.
Clear?
One feature per conversation
Long agent threads accumulate confusion. Start fresh for each feature or bug.
Do this now
Compare: one long thread vs two fresh threads for two small tasks.
Clear?