Next.js AGENTS.md — example & free generator

AGENTS.md

# your-nextjs-app

> Next.js project.

Instructions for AI coding agents working in this repository.

## Setup

- Install dependencies: `pnpm install`
- Start dev server: `pnpm dev`
- Run tests: `pnpm test`

## Code style

- TypeScript strict mode; no `any` without a justifying comment.
- Prefer Server Components; add 'use client' only when a component needs interactivity.
- Co-locate route code under `app/`; shared UI in `components/`.

## Guardrails

Things agents get wrong here. Follow these strictly:

- Never edit files in `.next/` — they are build output.
- Don’t fetch on the client when a Server Component can fetch on the server.
- Never commit secrets, API keys, or `.env` files.

Why Next.js projects need this

Dropped into a Next.js repo with no context, an AI agent guesses: it reaches for the wrong package manager, ignores your structure, and edits files it shouldn’t. AGENTS.md is the briefing it reads first — so the very next prompt behaves like a teammate who already knows your conventions.

What to put in it

The example above covers the three sections that matter most for Next.js: the real setup commands (pnpm install, pnpm dev, pnpm test), your code-style conventions, and the guardrails agents reliably get wrong. The generator fills these in from your actual manifest so the commands match your project, not a generic template.

Frequently asked

What is an AGENTS.md file in a Next.js project?

It is a markdown file at your repo root that tells AI coding agents how your Next.js project works — setup commands, code style and guardrails — so they follow your conventions instead of guessing.

Which tools read this file?

AGENTS.md is a shared convention read by Cursor, Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Gemini, Windsurf, Zed and others. For tools with their own filename you can export that format or symlink it to AGENTS.md.

What should a Next.js AGENTS.md include?

At minimum: install/dev/test commands (pnpm install, pnpm dev, pnpm test), your code-style conventions, and the guardrails agents get wrong — like Never edit files in .next/ — they are build output.

The Next.js AGENTS.md, done right.