# How to Configure AI-DLC Rule Loading for Cursor IDE

> Configure AI-DLC rule loading for Cursor IDE by placing a rule file in .cursor/rules/ and rule details in .aidlc-rule-details/ for seamless workflow imports.

- Repository: [Amazon Web Services - Labs/aidlc-workflows](https://github.com/awslabs/aidlc-workflows)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-05-09

---

**AI-DLC rule loading for Cursor IDE requires placing a front-matter rule file in `.cursor/rules/` and copying the detailed rule set to `.aidlc-rule-details/` so Cursor can resolve workflow imports at runtime.**

The `awslabs/aidlc-workflows` repository provides an adaptive AI-Driven Development Life Cycle (AI-DLC) workflow specifically designed for the Cursor IDE. This configuration enables Cursor to automatically apply AI-DLC rules to every chat session, driving consistent software development practices across inception, construction, and operations phases.

## Understanding AI-DLC Rule Architecture

AI-DLC workflows consist of two distinct resource types that Cursor consumes differently. According to the `awslabs/aidlc-workflows` source code, you must deploy both components for the integration to function correctly.

**Core workflow definition** ([`core-workflow.md`](https://github.com/awslabs/aidlc-workflows/blob/main/core-workflow.md)): Located in `aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/`, this file contains the primary workflow logic. You must concatenate it into a rule file under `.cursor/rules/` with proper front-matter headers.

**Detailed rule files**: Located in `aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/`, these fragments cover common practices, inception, construction, extensions, and operations. Cursor resolves these at runtime via imports from the core workflow, so they must exist at `.aidlc-rule-details/` in your project root.

When properly configured, Cursor's **Rules → Commands** UI lists the rule as `ai-dlc-workflow` and automatically applies it to every chat session.

## Step-by-Step Configuration

### Prerequisites

Download the latest AI-DLC release from the `awslabs/aidlc-workflows` repository and extract the archive. The package contains the `aidlc-rules/` directory with both the core workflow and detailed rule sets.

### Unix/Linux/macOS Setup

Create the rule container and write the front-matter file that instructs Cursor to always apply the AI-DLC workflow:

```bash

# Create the rule container

mkdir -p .cursor/rules

# Write the front-matter file

cat > .cursor/rules/ai-dlc-workflow.mdc <<'EOF'
---
description: "AI-DLC (AI-Driven Development Life Cycle) adaptive workflow for software development"
alwaysApply: true
---
EOF

# Append the core workflow from the downloaded release

cat ~/Downloads/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md >> .cursor/rules/ai-dlc-workflow.mdc

# Copy the detailed rule set to the hidden directory

mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ~/Downloads/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

```

### Windows PowerShell Setup

Use PowerShell to create the directory structure and populate the rule file:

```powershell

# Create the rule container

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".cursor\rules"

# Write the front-matter file

$frontmatter = @"
---
description: "AI-DLC (AI-Driven Development Life Cycle) adaptive workflow for software development"
alwaysApply: true
---
"@
$frontmatter | Out-File -FilePath ".cursor\rules\ai-dlc-workflow.mdc" -Encoding utf8

# Append the core workflow

Get-Content "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" `
  | Add-Content ".cursor\rules\ai-dlc-workflow.mdc"

# Copy the detailed rule set

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" `
  ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

```

### Windows CMD Setup

For legacy Windows Command Prompt environments:

```cmd
:: Create the rule container
mkdir .cursor\rules

:: Write the front-matter
(
  echo ---
  echo description: "AI-DLC (AI-Driven Development Life Cycle) adaptive workflow for software development"
  echo alwaysApply: true
  echo ---
  echo.
) > .cursor\rules\ai-dlc-workflow.mdc

:: Append the core workflow
type "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" >> .cursor\rules\ai-dlc-workflow.mdc

:: Copy the detailed rule set
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

```

## Verification Steps

After configuration, confirm successful loading through Cursor's interface:

1. Open **Cursor → Settings → Rules, Commands**
2. Under **Project Rules**, verify the entry `ai-dlc-workflow` appears in the list
3. Open any source file and start a chat (**Ctrl+K**)
4. Look for the **AI-DLC** badge in the chat UI, indicating the rule is active and applied to the session

The repository includes a reference screenshot at `assets/images/cursor-ide-aidlc-rules-loaded.png` showing the expected UI state when rules load correctly.

## Summary

- **AI-DLC rule loading** requires two components: a `.cursor/rules/ai-dlc-workflow.mdc` file with front-matter, and the detailed rule set at `.aidlc-rule-details/`
- **Always apply** is controlled by the `alwaysApply: true` flag in the rule file's front-matter
- **Source files** come from [`aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md`](https://github.com/awslabs/aidlc-workflows/blob/main/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md) and `aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/` in the `awslabs/aidlc-workflows` release package
- **Verification** occurs in Cursor's Project Rules settings and through the chat UI badge indicator

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Where does Cursor look for AI-DLC rule files?

Cursor scans the `.cursor/rules/` directory in your project root for any files containing Markdown front-matter. Files with the `.mdc` extension and `alwaysApply: true` setting are automatically loaded as project rules and applied to every chat session.

### Why must I copy files to `.aidlc-rule-details/` instead of just the `.cursor/rules/` directory?

The [`core-workflow.md`](https://github.com/awslabs/aidlc-workflows/blob/main/core-workflow.md) file references detailed rule fragments (common, inception, construction, extensions, operations) via relative import paths. According to the `awslabs/aidlc-workflows` implementation, these imports resolve against the `.aidlc-rule-details/` directory at runtime, so the files must exist there for the workflow to function.

### Can I disable AI-DLC rules after configuration without deleting the files?

Yes. Navigate to **Cursor → Settings → Rules, Commands** and locate the `ai-dlc-workflow` entry under Project Rules. You can toggle the rule on or off without removing the configuration files, though keeping it enabled ensures consistent AI-DLC behavior across all development sessions.

### What is the difference between the [`core-workflow.md`](https://github.com/awslabs/aidlc-workflows/blob/main/core-workflow.md) file and the detailed rule files?

[`core-workflow.md`](https://github.com/awslabs/aidlc-workflows/blob/main/core-workflow.md) (located in `aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/`) contains the primary workflow orchestration logic that Cursor loads as your rule file. The detailed rule files (in `aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/`) contain specific behavioral instructions for different development phases that the core workflow imports and applies contextually.