Rules & Standards
Production-tested best practices loaded into every session.
Rules load automatically at session start — they're enforced standards, not suggestions. Coding standards load conditionally by file type to keep context lean. Your project-level rules in .claude/rules/ take precedence over Pilot's built-ins.
Built-in Rule Categories
Core Workflow (3 rules)
task-and-workflow.md— Task management, /spec orchestration, deviation handlingtesting.md— TDD workflow, test strategy, coverage requirements (≥80%)verification.md— Execution verification, completion requirements
Development Practices (3 rules)
development-practices.md— Project policies, systematic debugging, git rulescontext-management.md— Context optimization and compaction resiliencecode-review-reception.md— How to receive and act on code review feedback
Tools (3 rules)
cli-tools.md— Pilot CLI, Probe code search, RTK token optimizationplaywright-cli.md— Browser automation for E2E UI testingmcp-servers.md— MCP server reference and tool selection guidance
Coding Standards — Activated by File Type
| Standard | Activates On | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Python | *.py | uv, pytest, ruff, basedpyright, type hints |
| TypeScript | *.ts, *.tsx, *.js, *.jsx | npm/pnpm, Jest, ESLint, Prettier, React patterns |
| Go | *.go | Modules, testing, formatting, error handling |
| Frontend | *.tsx, *.jsx, *.html, *.vue, *.css | Components, CSS, accessibility, responsive design |
| Backend | **/models/**, **/routes/**, **/api/** | API design, data models, query optimization, migrations |
Create .claude/rules/my-rule.md in your project. Add paths: ["*.py"] frontmatter to activate only for specific file types. Run /setup-rules to auto-discover patterns and generate project-specific rules.
Organize rules in nested subdirectories by product and team (e.g. .claude/rules/my-product/team-x/). Team-level rules must use paths frontmatter to scope to the right files. /setup-rules generates a README.md in your rules directory to document the structure.