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Cline lists AGENTS.md as a rule you can toggle

Cline reads Ultracite’s rules from the AGENTS.md at your workspace root and lists it in the Rules panel beside .clinerules/. Ultracite doesn’t add a Cline hook, so after editing, Cline runs the ultracite fix the rules ask for, and your auto-approve settings decide whether you’re asked first.

Cline by ClineChecked against Cline 4.1.23

# Ultracite Code Standards

This project uses **Ultracite**, a zero-config preset that enforces strict code quality standards through automated formatting and linting.

## Quick Reference

- **Format code**: `npx ultracite fix`
- **Check for issues**: `npx ultracite check`
- **Diagnose setup**: `npx ultracite doctor`

Oxlint + Oxfmt (the underlying engine) provides robust linting and formatting. Most issues are automatically fixable.

…
Ultracite’s rules
Where Cline looks for instructions
  1. 1AGENTS.mdUltraciteAt the workspace root only; Cline doesn’t look for nested ones.
  2. 2.clinerules/ and .cline/rules/Every Markdown file in either folder, combined into one set.
  3. 3.cursorrules and .windsurfrulesOther tools’ rules files, detected and listed with the rest.
  4. 4~/.agents/AGENTS.mdA cross-tool global instructions file, read in every workspace.
  5. 5~/Documents/Cline/RulesYour global Cline rules. Workspace rules win when they conflict.

How Cline reads the rules

Cline combines every rule source it finds into one set: the root AGENTS.md, .clinerules/ and .cline/rules/, other tools’ rules files and your global rules. Workspace rules win over global ones when they conflict.

Toggles
Every detected rule, AGENTS.md included, has an on and off switch in the Rules panel.
Conditional rules
paths globs in a rule’s front matter scope it to matching files; paths: [] turns it off.
Broken front matter
Cline fails open: a rule whose YAML won’t parse still loads, raw.
Both layouts
.clinerules/ and .cline/rules/ are both read; the VS Code panel creates new rules in .clinerules/.
Global rules
~/Documents/Cline/Rules, plus ~/.cline/rules and ~/Cline/Rules. Workspace rules win on conflicts.
Context cost
Rules without paths load for every request, so keep them short.

Cline runs the fix the rules ask for

Ultracite doesn’t install a Cline hook, so after an edit Cline runs the commands in AGENTS.md. Cline does run PostToolUse hook scripts, from .cline/hooks/ in the CLI and .clinerules/hooks/ in VS Code, but Ultracite doesn’t configure them yet.

- **Format code**: `npx ultracite fix`
- **Check for issues**: `npx ultracite check`
- **Diagnose setup**: `npx ultracite doctor`
What the rules tell it to run
  1. 01Cline edits a file; with Edit project files auto-approved, it doesn’t ask first.
  2. 02Following AGENTS.md, it proposes npx ultracite fix, and the model sets its requires_approval flag.
  3. 03If your auto-approve settings cover that flag, it runs; otherwise Cline asks you.
  4. 04Cline reads what’s left in the output and fixes it.

Worth knowing about Cline

  • The model decides what’s safe

    Cline has no fixed command allowlist: the model flags each command with requires_approval. Execute safe commands covers unflagged ones and Execute all commands covers the rest, so whether ultracite fix asks first depends on the model’s call.

  • The CLI approves by default

    The cline CLI’s --auto-approve flag defaults to true, and it runs headless when you pass --json, pipe stdin or redirect output. An unattended run edits files and runs commands without asking, so Cline’s docs suggest a clean branch.

  • Rules that wake up on file paths

    Rule files in .clinerules/ can list paths globs and load only when matching files are in context: open tabs, paths you mention, files Cline edits. Ultracite’s rules apply everywhere, so they stay in AGENTS.md.

  • The Ultracite skill

    Cline loads skills from .agents/skills/, as well as .cline/skills/, .clinerules/skills/ and .claude/skills/, so it finds the Ultracite skill init installs. cline config lists the skills it found.

Cline questions, answered

Does Cline read AGENTS.md?
Yes, the one at your workspace root, plus a global ~/.agents/AGENTS.md. It shows up in the Rules panel with its own toggle, so check it’s switched on.
Does Cline read nested AGENTS.md files?
No. Cline’s rule search includes only the workspace root’s AGENTS.md. For folder-specific guidance, add a .clinerules/ file with paths globs instead.
Does Cline support hooks?
Yes. Scripts named after their event, such as PostToolUse, run from .cline/hooks/ in the CLI and SDK; the VS Code extension reads extensionless scripts from .clinerules/hooks/ once Enable Hooks is on in Cline’s feature settings. Ultracite doesn’t install one for Cline yet.
How do I make Cline run the linter without asking?
In Auto Approve, turn on Execute safe commands, and Execute all commands for anything the model flags. YOLO mode approves everything, destructive commands included, so keep it for throwaway work.
Does Cline still read .clinerules?
Yes. .clinerules/ and .cline/rules/ are both read in VS Code, the desktop app and the CLI, and combined into one set with AGENTS.md.

Sources

Keep going

Ship less slop

One command sets up your linter, formatter, editor and agents. Works with Oxlint, Biome and ESLint.