AGENTS.md

AGENTS.md is a standardized file format that acts like a README specifically for AI coding agents. Instead of stuffing agent instructions into a human-focused README (which can get messy), you drop a plain Markdown file named AGENTS.md in your project root. In it, you describe how to set up the dev environment, run tests, follow code style, and structure pull requests. The idea is that any AI coding agent that lands on your project — be it GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Codex, or Devin — can instantly read that file and understand how you want things done. Over 60,000 open-source projects already use it.

What makes AGENTS.md stand out is that it's deliberately separate from your README. READMEs are written for human contributors: they explain what the project does and how to get started quickly. AGENTS.md holds the nitty-gritty details that only coding agents need — like exact package managers, build commands, linting rules, and PR title conventions. It's a simple Markdown file, so no new syntax to learn, and because it's adopted by a growing ecosystem of tools (over 20 agents listed on the site), one file works across many different AI assistants. The format is open and not tied to any single company, so projects can adopt it without lock-in.

This format is most useful for development teams working with AI coding agents. If you're maintaining an open-source project and want AI agents to follow your conventions without hallucinating wrong commands, AGENTS.md gives you a direct channel to tell them. It's also handy for solo developers who use multiple coding assistants — write your instructions once and they work everywhere. The format is intentionally lightweight: no dependencies, no setup, just a text file in your repo.