Project Rules & Context
Customize how GRID interacts with your project using configuration files in your project root. Define AI behavior, architectural context, and which files to exclude from AI analysis.
Project rules file
System prompts and behavioral instructions for the AI assistant.
Project doc file
High-level architectural documentation and project context.
Ignore file
Exclude files from Auto-Debug and AI context windows.
Project rules file
The project rules file is the primary way to customize the AI's behavior for your project. Think of it as a system prompt that is always active. Place it in the root of your workspace. GRID reads it automatically and applies the instructions to every AI session.
Use it for coding standards (e.g. use arrow functions, prefer interfaces, use Tailwind for styling, add error handling to async functions) and behavior (e.g. be concise in chat, show full context when modifying files, do not suggest external libraries without approval). Keep it focused so the AI context window stays effective.
Project doc file
The project doc file provides architectural context. The project rules file defines behavior; the project doc file defines knowledge: project structure, key technologies, and architecture patterns (e.g. MVC, Clean Architecture).
Project Structure
Explain how your folders are organized.
Key Technologies
List the main frameworks and libraries.
Architecture Patterns
Describe the design patterns used in the project.
This is useful when onboarding new developers or when the project has conventions that aren't obvious from the code alone.
Ignore file
The ignore file prevents listed files and folders from being read by GRID's AI features. It works like a gitignore: list patterns for log files, build directories, secret config, and generated coverage. The IDE excludes those from Auto-Debug analysis, chat codebase search, and PR reviews.
What gets ignored?
- Auto-Debug analysis
- Chat context codebase search
- PR Reviews
Common use cases
- Large generated files (minified JS)
- Sensitive data or secrets
- Vendor directories (dependencies are ignored by default)
Best Practices
- •Commit these files: Commit the project rules file and project doc file to your repository so your whole team benefits from shared AI context.
- •Keep it concise: The AI context window is finite. Keep your rules and documentation focused on what's most important.
- •Regular updates: As your project evolves, update the project doc file to reflect new architecture decisions.