SUMMARY
Cursor (IDE) uses mdc configuration while Replit (Platform) uses markdown. They differ on 7 of 11 compared features. Both tools provide AI-assisted development but take different approaches to project configuration.
FEATURE COMPARISON
| Feature | Cursor | Replit |
|---|---|---|
| Config format | mdc | markdown |
| Hierarchy support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Global config | ✓ | ✗ |
| Project config | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subdirectory scoping | ✓ | ✗ |
| File inclusion / imports | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ignore file | .cursorignore | ✗ |
| IDE integration | ✓ | Platform |
| Schema / structure | Hybrid (MDC frontmatter + Markdown) | Free-form (Markdown) |
| Git committed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encoding | UTF-8 | UTF-8 |
SIDE-BY-SIDE CODE SAMPLES
---
description: React component conventions and patterns
globs: "*.tsx"
alwaysApply: false
---
# React Component Rules
- Use functional components with explicit return types
- Define props interface directly above the component
- Export components as named exports, never default
- Use Tailwind CSS utility classes exclusively
# My Project
## Overview
This is a Next.js e-commerce storefront with Stripe payments, NextAuth
authentication, and a PostgreSQL database via Prisma ORM.
## Tech Stack
- Framework: Next.js 14 (App Router, server components by default)
- Database: PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM
- Auth: NextAuth.js with GitHub and Google providers
- Payments: Stripe Checkout and webhooks
- Styling: Tailwind CSS with shadcn/ui components
## Development Phase
Currently building the product catalog and cart system. Authentication
and payment flows are complete. Next up: order history and admin dashboard.
## Code Style
- TypeScript strict mode enabled
- Prefer server components; use "use client" only when needed
- Use server actions for mutations (app/actions/)
- Validate all inputs with Zod schemas
## Commands
- `npm run dev` — start development server on port 3000
- `npm run build` — production build
- `npm run db:push` — push Prisma schema to database
- `npm run db:seed` — seed database with sample data
- `npm test` — run Jest test suite
## External Resources
- Design system: https://ui.shadcn.com
- API docs: Stripe API at https://stripe.com/docs/api
KEY DIFFERENCES
Cursor: mdc. Replit: markdown.
Cursor: Supported. Replit: Not supported.
Cursor: Supported. Replit: Not supported.
Cursor: Supported. Replit: Not supported.
Cursor: .cursorignore. Replit: Not supported.
Cursor: Supported. Replit: Platform.
Cursor: Hybrid (MDC frontmatter + Markdown). Replit: Free-form (Markdown).
WHICH SHOULD I USE?
Choose based on your IDE/CLI preference. If you use Cursor, configure .cursorrules. If you use Replit, configure replit.md. Many projects include config files for multiple tools so each team member can use their preferred editor.
PORTABILITY TIP
# Maintain a single source of truth:
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md CLAUDE.md
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md .cursorrules
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md AGENTS.md