Cursor Rules: Teach The Editor Your Repo

End-of-lesson check

15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-cursor-rules-for-repos-creators

1. What is the main advantage of creating a rules file in a repository used with an AI coding assistant?

   1. It makes the AI write code faster by pre-loading all project files
   2. It grants the AI access to private external APIs
   3. It automatically fixes bugs in the existing codebase
   4. It reduces the need to repeat same instructions across multiple coding sessions

2. According to the principles of effective AI agent workflow, what should you define before specifying which tool to use?

   1. The version of the AI model being used
   2. The file paths where changes will be made
   3. The exact code syntax required
   4. The job or task to be accomplished

3. A developer tells an AI agent to 'rewrite the entire authentication system.' Why is this scope problematic?

   1. The AI will refuse to work on security-related code
   2. The task does not require any changes to be made
   3. The task is too simple for an AI to handle
   4. The scope is too large and increases risk of errors and confusion

4. What does it mean to 'run the result as a user, not as a fan of the tool'?

   1. Use the feature yourself and evaluate whether it actually solves the problem
   2. Only test features that showcase the AI's capabilities
   3. Share the result publicly before testing it yourself
   4. Test the code using the most expensive subscription tier of the AI tool

5. Before sharing AI-generated code with others, what three things should you always inspect?

   1. The diff, data access patterns, and failure path
   2. The comments, variable names, and loop structure
   3. The file names, creation dates, and author names
   4. The color scheme, font size, and line spacing

6. What problem occurs when a project lacks explicit rules and the same task is given to an AI agent multiple times over months?

   1. The AI will automatically back up all previous versions
   2. The code will become faster with each iteration
   3. The project architecture gradually changes in unintended ways
   4. The AI will refuse to continue working on the project

7. Which question from the lesson helps determine what data your application should never expose?

   1. What test proves the change works?
   2. What rollback path exists if the output is wrong?
   3. What data should the app or agent never expose?
   4. What should the user be able to do when this is finished?

8. Why is it important to define a rollback path in your repo rules?

   1. To make the codebase run faster after failed experiments
   2. To automatically delete old files when new ones are added
   3. So the AI can undo any change it makes without human approval
   4. To ensure you can revert to a working state if AI-generated code causes problems

9. What is the value of specifying 'what test proves the change works' in repo rules?

   1. It allows the AI to write tests automatically without human input
   2. It gives a clear way to verify the feature actually solves the intended problem
   3. It eliminates the need for any manual testing
   4. It makes the code run faster by optimizing test execution

10. The lesson states that AI can quickly make a working demo. What distinguishes a real production-ready feature from just a demo?

    1. Demo code uses more advanced algorithms
    2. Production features require more comments than demos
    3. A production feature is observable, reversible, and safe for others to use
    4. Demos are written in Python while production code uses JavaScript

11. What type of information should be included in a style guide section of repo rules?

    1. Naming conventions, formatting preferences, and code structure patterns
    2. Marketing copy and brand colors
    3. Database connection strings and API keys
    4. Employee phone numbers and office locations

12. Why should repo rules explicitly define the project's architecture?

    1. To make the code run faster on older computers
    2. To help the agent understand the structure and make consistent decisions
    3. So the AI can automatically generate new architecture diagrams
    4. To prevent the AI from accessing certain files

13. What does 'accidental architecture drift' mean?

    1. The codebase gradually becomes inconsistent as different approaches are used
    2. All team members start using different programming languages
    3. The project becomes faster over time due to optimization
    4. The AI automatically refactors code to match new patterns

14. How do repo rules help a team of developers working on the same project with AI assistants?

    1. They make the AI write code that only one specific person can understand
    2. They ensure all team members get consistent results from the AI
    3. They automatically resolve merge conflicts in version control
    4. They allow multiple AI assistants to edit the same file simultaneously

15. Why is it risky to allow an AI to make changes without predefined boundaries in repo rules?

    1. The AI could make changes that expose private data, break existing features, or violate security practices
    2. The AI might refuse to make changes without explicit permission
    3. The project will run slower with more rules
    4. The AI will automatically document all changes it makes