Fusion vs TraeComparisonUpdated 2026-03-16
SUMMARY
Fusion (IDE) uses mdc configuration while Trae (IDE) uses markdown. They differ on 4 of 11 compared features. Both tools provide AI-assisted development but take different approaches to project configuration.
FEATURE COMPARISON
| Feature | Fusion | Trae |
|---|---|---|
| Config format | mdc | markdown |
| Hierarchy support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Global config | ✗ | ✓ |
| Project config | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subdirectory scoping | ✗ | ✗ |
| File inclusion / imports | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ignore file | ✗ | ✗ |
| IDE integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Schema / structure | Hybrid (MDC frontmatter + Markdown) | Free-form (Markdown) |
| Git committed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encoding | UTF-8 | UTF-8 |
FILE MAPPING
| Purpose | Fusion | Trae |
|---|---|---|
| Project rules | .builder/rules/*.mdc | .trae/rules/*.md |
| Project rules | .builderrules | User Rules |
| Project instructions | AGENTS.md | AGENTS.md |
SIDE-BY-SIDE CODE SAMPLES
Fusion
.builder/rules/*.mdc
mdc
---
description: React component conventions
globs: src/components/**/*.tsx
alwaysApply: false
---
# React Component Rules
## Structure
- Use functional components with TypeScript
- Define props interface above the component
- Export components as named exports
## Styling
- Use the project design system tokens for spacing and colors
- Prefer utility classes over custom CSS
- Keep component-specific styles colocated
## Patterns
- Wrap async data in Suspense boundaries
- Use forwardRef for reusable interactive components
- Keep components under 150 lines; extract hooks for logic
## Accessibility
- All interactive elements need aria-labels
- Use semantic HTML elements (nav, main, section)
- Ensure keyboard navigation works for custom widgets
Trae
.trae/rules/*.md
markdown
---
description: React component conventions and patterns
globs: "*.tsx,*.jsx"
alwaysApply: false
---
# React Component Rules
1. Use functional components with TypeScript interfaces for props
2. Prefer server components by default — add "use client" only for interactivity
3. Colocate component tests in adjacent __tests__/ directories
4. Use named exports, not default exports
5. Extract custom hooks into hooks/ directory when reused across components
## Styling
- Use Tailwind CSS v4 utility classes
- Follow mobile-first responsive design
- Keep component-specific styles colocated
## State Management
- Use React 19 use() for async data in server components
- Prefer URL state (searchParams) over client state where possible
- Use Zustand for complex client-side state
KEY DIFFERENCES
Fusion: mdc. Trae: markdown.
Fusion: Not supported. Trae: Supported.
Fusion: Not supported. Trae: Supported.
Fusion: Hybrid (MDC frontmatter + Markdown). Trae: Free-form (Markdown).
WHICH SHOULD I USE?
Choose based on your IDE/CLI preference. If you use Fusion, configure .builder/rules/*.mdc. If you use Trae, configure .trae/rules/*.md. Many projects include config files for multiple tools so each team member can use their preferred editor.
PORTABILITY TIP
sync-instructions.sh
bash
# Maintain a single source of truth:
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md CLAUDE.md
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md .cursorrules
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md AGENTS.md
SEE ALSO
File references:
agentconfig.ing2026-03-16COMPARE(1)