Which coding agents read AGENTS.md?
Open format for agent instructions. May sit in the repository root or in subdirectories.
A cell reads "unverified" when the page we checked does not mention the file. We then have no source, which says nothing about whether the tool reads it. A cell reads "migration only" when the page mentions the file only as input to a migration command such as /init.
- Reads 3
- Reads, with conditions 1
| Tool | Status | Note | Official source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Reads |
The page documents AGENTS.md in the project root and in subdirectories; nested files are combined, with more specific instructions taking precedence. |
||
| Claude Code | Reads, with conditions from v2.1.277 |
Reads AGENTS.md only when there is no CLAUDE.md or CLAUDE.local.md in the working directory or above. Reading AGENTS.md directly needs v2.1.277 or later. |
||
| Codex | Reads |
Reads AGENTS.md from the global Codex home and from the project root down to the working directory, at most one file per directory, up to 32 KiB combined by default. |
||
| GitHub CopilotRepository custom instructions on GitHub.com (cloud agent, code review) | Reads |
Agent instructions: one or more AGENTS.md files anywhere in the repository; the nearest file in the directory tree takes precedence. |
Data
These rows come from the instruction file matrix, also published as matrix.json. Cells marked unverified are listed on one page.
Other instruction files
AGENTS.override.mdCLAUDE.mdGEMINI.md.cursorrules.cursor/rules/ *.mdc .claude/rules/ *.md .github/copilot-instructions.md .github/instructions/ *.instructions.md
How to cite
The data and the text are under CC BY 4.0. Credit the project, link the license, and say what you changed. A cell is a dated reading of an official page, so give the date of the cell, which is shown on it, or the date the matrix was last reviewed.
Suggested credit: "Rulefiles data by Rulefiles contributors, https://rulefiles-preview.pages.dev/matrix/, last reviewed 2026-10-16, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)."
Quoted excerpts of the sources belong to their authors. Link the official page of the cell when you rely on it.