Ready-to-use instruction file sets for 12 AI coding tools, designed for anyone building software for animal advocacy and liberation. Each tool directory is self-contained: copy it into your project root and your AI assistant immediately understands advocacy-domain constraints, security threat models, testing standards, and process workflows. No external dependencies, no shared config, no setup beyond copying files.
Pick your tool. Copy the files into your project root.
# Claude Code
cp claude-code/CLAUDE.md your-project/
cp claude-code/hooks-template.md your-project/
cp -r claude-code/.claude your-project/
# Cursor
cp cursor/.cursorrules your-project/
cp -r cursor/.cursor your-project/
# GitHub Copilot
cp -r github-copilot/.github your-project/
# Windsurf
cp -r windsurf/.windsurf your-project/
# Kilo Code
cp -r kilo-code/.kilocode your-project/
# Cline
cp -r cline/.clinerules your-project/
# Roo Code
cp roo-code/.roomodes your-project/
cp -r roo-code/.roo your-project/
# Augment Code
cp -r augment-code/.augment your-project/
# Aider
cp aider/CONVENTIONS.md your-project/
# Gemini CLI
cp gemini-cli/GEMINI.md your-project/
# JetBrains / Junie
cp -r jetbrains-junie/.junie your-project/
# AGENTS.md (universal, works with 20+ tools)
cp agents-md/AGENTS.md your-project/| Tool | Directory | Files | Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | claude-code/ |
15 | CLAUDE.md + 7 scoped rules + 6 skills + hooks template |
| Cursor | cursor/ |
14 | .cursorrules + 13 .mdc files with 4 activation modes |
| GitHub Copilot | github-copilot/ |
22 | copilot-instructions.md + 7 instructions + 6 prompts + 2 chat modes + 6 skills |
| Windsurf | windsurf/ |
14 | 14 .md files in .windsurf/rules/ with 4 trigger types, within 6K/12K char limits |
| Kilo Code | kilo-code/ |
21 | 5 mode files + 3 Memory Bank files + 7 concerns + 6 skills |
| Cline | cline/ |
14 | 14 .md files in .clinerules/ with Plan/Act paradigm |
| Roo Code | roo-code/ |
19 | .roomodes JSON + 5 mode rules + 7 concerns + 6 skills |
| Augment Code | augment-code/ |
14 | 14 .md files in .augment/rules/ |
| Aider | aider/ |
1 | Single CONVENTIONS.md with all content as sections |
| Gemini CLI | gemini-cli/ |
1 | Single GEMINI.md with all content as sections |
| JetBrains / Junie | jetbrains-junie/ |
1 | Single .junie/guidelines.md, always loaded |
| AGENTS.md | agents-md/ |
1 | Single vendor-neutral file, supported by 20+ tools |
| Total | 137 |
Every tool covers the same material, adapted to its native format. Tools with multi-file support break content into separate files with appropriate activation triggers. Single-file tools condense everything into clearly-headed sections.
7 concerns (present in every tool):
- Testing -- Assertion quality, spec-first generation, property-based testing, mutation testing, adversarial input testing
- Security -- Zero-retention APIs, ag-gag legal exposure, supply chain verification, device seizure preparation, three-adversary threat model
- Privacy -- Activist identity protection, coalition data sharing, whistleblower protection, GDPR/CCPA compliance, data minimization
- Cost optimization -- Model routing, token budgets, prompt caching, vendor lock-in as movement risk, nonprofit budget allocation
- Advocacy domain -- Ubiquitous language dictionary, bounded contexts (investigation ops / public campaigns / coalition coordination / legal defense), entity definitions
- Accessibility -- i18n, offline-first, low-bandwidth, low-literacy design, mesh networking, device seizure resilience
- Emotional safety -- Progressive disclosure of traumatic content, configurable detail levels, content warnings, secondary trauma mitigation
6 process skills (workflow guides invoked on demand):
- git-workflow -- Atomic commits, ephemeral branches, PR curation, AI-Assisted tags, code survival rate tracking
- testing-strategy -- Spec-first generation, five anti-patterns to avoid (snapshot trap, mock everything, happy path only, test-after-commit, coverage theater), mutation-guided improvement
- requirements-interview -- Structured stakeholder questions covering threat model, coalition needs, user safety, budget constraints
- plan-first-development -- Spec, design, decompose, implement one subtask at a time, generation-then-comprehension pattern
- code-review -- Layered review pipeline, Ousterhout red flags, AI-specific failure patterns, advocacy-specific data leak checks
- security-audit -- Advocacy threat model assessment, slopsquatting defense, prompt injection / rules file backdoor detection, MCP server security
These files are stack-agnostic starting points. They contain principles and methodology, not language-specific commands. After copying, add your own:
- Build and run commands
- Linting and formatting configuration
- Language-level code conventions
- Project-specific entity names and architecture details
- Tech stack details (frameworks, databases, deployment targets)
For Claude Code specifically, see hooks-template.md for setting up deterministic pre-commit, post-edit, and pre-push hooks with your own toolchain.
Claude Code -- CLAUDE.md at project root (under 60 lines), scoped rules in .claude/rules/ with optional paths: frontmatter for file-targeted activation, process skills in .claude/skills/ with YAML frontmatter. Supports hooks for deterministic enforcement of formatting, linting, and security scanning.
Cursor -- .cursorrules at project root (always loaded), scoped rules in .cursor/rules/*.mdc using MDC format with four activation modes: Always Apply, Auto Attached (glob-triggered), Agent Requested (description-triggered), and Manual (user invokes with @).
GitHub Copilot -- The richest instruction hierarchy of any tool. .github/copilot-instructions.md (repo-wide), .github/instructions/ (path-specific with applyTo:), .github/prompts/ (reusable user-invocable workflows), .github/chat-modes/ (persistent agent personas for advocacy review and requirements interviewing), .github/skills/ (process skill packages).
Windsurf -- .windsurf/rules/*.md with four trigger types: Always On, Model Decision, Glob, and Manual. Hard constraint of 6,000 characters per file and 12,000 characters combined. Always On files budgeted to ~8K total to leave headroom for contextually loaded files. Note: Windsurf generates persistent memories about your codebase -- review and clear regularly for sensitive projects.
Kilo Code -- .kilocode/rules/ with five mode-specific rule files (Ask, Architect, Code, Debug, Orchestrator), a Memory Bank (brief.md, context.md, history.md) for progressive context disclosure, seven concern files, and six process skills in .kilocode/skills/.
Cline -- .clinerules/ directory with 14 Markdown files. Emphasizes Cline's Plan/Act paradigm: explore in Plan Mode before changing anything in Act Mode. All concern and skill content as separate rule files.
Roo Code -- .roomodes JSON defining custom modes (Review and Interview) with tool restrictions and model assignments, plus .roo/rules/ containing five mode-specific rule files (Architect, Code, Debug, Review, Interview), seven concern files, and six skill files. Supports Boomerang Task delegation between modes.
Augment Code -- .augment/rules/*.md with a main.md core file plus 13 concern and skill files. All files loaded as directory-based rules.
Aider -- Single CONVENTIONS.md file loaded as read-only context. All seven concerns and six skills condensed into clearly-headed sections. Adapted for Aider's /architect and /code mode workflow.
Gemini CLI -- Single GEMINI.md file at project root. All content as sections in one self-contained file.
JetBrains / Junie -- Single .junie/guidelines.md file, always loaded. All content as sections.
AGENTS.md -- Single AGENTS.md file following the vendor-neutral standard supported by 20+ tools. The most comprehensive single-file option. Use this as a universal fallback or when your tool is not otherwise listed.
The content across all 12 tool sets was derived from a knowledge base covering: empirical research on AI-assisted development (code quality metrics, comprehension effects, failure patterns), software design principles (Ousterhout, Feathers, DDD), testing strategy (mutation testing, property-based testing, contract testing), git workflow for AI-generated code, and operational security for the animal advocacy domain. Each tool's content was independently authored to maximize use of its native format and activation mechanisms -- this is not a template applied 12 times.