Glossary · AI-native development
Repository Instructions
Version-controlled guidance that tells coding agents how a repository is organized, which commands and conventions apply, what boundaries to respect, and how to verify work.
Why it matters
It turns repeated tribal knowledge into local context that travels with the code and can vary by subproject.
In practice
Keep an `AGENTS.md` at the repository root, add narrower files for subdirectories, and include exact build, test, generated-file, security, and contribution rules.
Common confusion
Repository instructions complement source code and human documentation; they do not override the user's current request or guarantee that an agent follows them correctly.
Related terms
Sources
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