Where to Find the Canonical 10-Rule Skill Definition in i-have-adhd

The canonical 10-rule skill definition resides in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md, which contains the complete IO-rule specification and ten ADHD-friendly output formatting rules enforced across persistent sessions.

The canonical 10-rule skill definition in the ayghri/i-have-adhd repository establishes strict formatting guidelines designed to reduce cognitive load for users with ADHD. This specification, also referred to as the IO-rule skill, defines exactly how AI responses must structure actionable content throughout a session. Understanding the precise file location and structure is critical for developers integrating the skill into editors like Cursor or modifying the persistence behavior.

Primary Source Location

The definitive specification lives in a single markdown file that governs all session behavior.

File Path and Structure

Navigate to skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md at the repository root to access the authoritative definition. According to the ayghri/i-have-adhd source code, this file contains the entire IO-rule specification, including the persistence behavior that applies to every response for the rest of the session once activated.

The file structure follows this pattern:

# Example snippet from the canonical definition (excerpt)

## Persistence

These rules apply to every response for the rest of the session...

## Rules

### 1. Lead with the next action

The first line is something the reader can do...

### 2. Number multi‑step tasks

If the work takes more than one step, write a numbered list...

... (continues through all 10 rules)

Content Components

The SKILL.md file organizes the canonical 10-rule skill definition into two primary sections:

• Persistence Section: Defines how the rules remain active across the entire session without requiring re-prompting
• Rules Section: Enumerates the ten specific ADHD-friendly output constraints, including leading with actionable next steps and numbering multi-step tasks

Cursor Integration Mirror

For developers using the Cursor editor, the repository maintains a synchronized copy of the skill definition.

The file .cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md serves as a dedicated mirror of the canonical 10-rule skill definition, specifically formatted for Cursor's skill integration system. This secondary location ensures the IO-rule specifications remain accessible within the editor's plugin architecture while staying strictly in sync with the primary source.

Both files contain identical rule sets, with the skills/i-have-adhd/ version serving as the master reference that drives the persistence behavior.

Supporting Documentation

While SKILL.md contains the authoritative rules, additional files provide implementation context:

• README.md: Provides high-level overview of the repository architecture and basic usage instructions for the skill system
• INSTALL.md: Contains platform-specific installation guidance for configuring the 10-rule skill in various development environments

These supplementary documents reference the canonical skill definition but direct users to SKILL.md for the complete rule specifications and persistence parameters.

Summary

• The canonical 10-rule skill definition is located at skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md in the ayghri/i-have-adhd repository
• This file defines the IO-rule persistence behavior and ten specific ADHD-friendly formatting guidelines
• A synchronized mirror exists at .cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md for Cursor editor integration
• The specification mandates actionable first lines and numbered multi-step task formatting to reduce cognitive load
• README.md and INSTALL.md provide supplementary documentation but defer to SKILL.md for the authoritative rule definitions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the exact file path for the canonical 10-rule skill definition?

The authoritative definition is located at skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md in the repository root. This markdown file serves as the single source of truth for the i-have-adhd skill's behavior, persistence settings, and ten specific formatting rules.

Does the 10-rule skill definition persist across multiple chat sessions?

According to the source code in SKILL.md, the persistence rules apply to every response for the remainder of the current session once activated. However, the rules reset between separate sessions unless the skill is explicitly invoked again at the start of a new conversation.

Why are there two SKILL.md files in the repository?

The repository maintains the primary definition at skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md and a synchronized mirror at .cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md. The Cursor-specific path enables direct integration with the Cursor editor's skill system, while the root-level version serves as the canonical 10-rule skill definition and master reference.

How do I install or activate the IO-rule skill in my development environment?

Installation instructions vary by platform and are documented in INSTALL.md at the repository root. Typically, you copy the skill definition to your editor's skills directory or import the repository configuration, which automatically references the canonical rules in SKILL.md and activates the persistence behavior.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}