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.clinerules

Cline rules for .NET

Cline and Roo Code read project rules before they edit. A root `.clinerules` file is the shared place for stack commands, safety limits, and how the agent should use tools. This copy is written for a .NET project. This repository is a .NET application. Nullable reference types stay enabled. Match minimal APIs or controllers, whichever the project already uses, and ship schema changes as migrations.

The example uses a balanced, readable style, pragmatic tests, and comments only where the intent is not obvious. Open the generator to make the agent stricter, switch to test-first, quiet the comments, or pick a different file.

The example assumes modern .NET with nullable enabled. It does not assume MVC versus minimal APIs, or EF Core versus another store. Follow the host that is already in Program.cs.

Example file

Balanced strictness, readable style, pragmatic tests. Download name: .clinerules

# Cline and Roo rules

Project rules for Cline and Roo Code in this .NET repository.
Use the project's commands. Do not invent a package manager, and do not run destructive shell commands.

## Tool use

- Read the files you will change before editing them.
- Prefer a focused patch over rewriting a whole file.
- Run the test command from this file after a behavior change, or say why you could not.
- Do not delete generated folders, lockfiles, or migrations unless the task says so.

## Stack

This repository is a .NET application. Nullable reference types stay enabled. Match minimal APIs or controllers, whichever the project already uses, and ship schema changes as migrations.

## Layout

- Endpoints or controllers stay next to the feature folder the repo uses.
- EF Core DbContext and configurations stay in the data project if there is one.
- Do not add a second hosting model.

## Commands

- Test: `dotnet test`
- Run: `dotnet run`
- Format: `dotnet format`

Use the script the repo already defines when it differs from the command above.

## Conventions

- Respect nullable annotations. Do not silence them with `!` unless the value was just checked.
- Validate input with the project's data annotations or fluent validation.
- Use async all the way. Do not block on `.Result`.
- Migrations ship with model changes. Do not hand-edit a snapshot to hide a mistake.
- Inject dependencies through the constructor. Do not service-locate in a loop.
- Log with ILogger. Do not use Console.WriteLine for request failures.

## Testing

Add or update tests when behavior changes.

Add an xUnit, NUnit, or MSTest test matching the repo. Cover the validation failure.

## Style

- Optimize for the next reader over the shortest diff.
- Comment only when the why is non-obvious.
- Name things the way neighboring files already do.
- Do not reformat code you did not change.

## Errors

- Fail at the boundary. Do not swallow errors.
- Return a ProblemDetails or the project's error type for expected failures. Unexpected exceptions hit the exception handler.

## Scope

- Do the requested task. Do not refactor unrelated code.
- Match the rigor already in the repo. Fix what you touch.
- Ask one clarifying question only when the task cannot be finished without it. Otherwise state the assumption and continue.

## Avoid

- Do not catch Exception and return Ok.
- Do not use dynamic to dodge a type.
- Do not query inside a serializer loop. Shape the response in the handler.
- Do not store secrets in appsettings that are committed.

## Done when

- The requested behavior works.
- `dotnet test` passes and `dotnet format` leaves the diff clean.
- The diff stays inside the task.
- You list anything you could not run.

Add it to the project

  1. 01

    Copy a starting file

    Copy the example Cline rules on this page, or open the generator if you want different testing, strictness, or comment rules.

  2. 02

    Save it at .clinerules

    Save it as `.clinerules` at the root of the .NET repo. If you use Roo Code rules per folder, copy the body to `.roo/rules/project.md` as well.

  3. 03

    Start a fresh agent session

    Rules files are read when a session starts. A chat that is already open may still be using the old instructions.

  4. 04

    Give it one small task

    Ask for one change a .NET agent often gets wrong, such as an endpoint that returns a validation problem for a bad body instead of throwing. If it ignores the file, confirm the path and start a new session.

Questions about this file

Where do I put Cline rules in a .NET repo?

Save it as `.clinerules` at the root of the .NET repo. If you use Roo Code rules per folder, copy the body to `.roo/rules/project.md` as well.

Which tools read this Cline rules?

Cline reads `.clinerules`. Roo Code reads `.clinerules` and can also load `.roo/rules`. Other agents ignore this filename.

What does the .NET example assume?

The example assumes modern .NET with nullable enabled. It does not assume MVC versus minimal APIs, or EF Core versus another store. Follow the host that is already in Program.cs.

Does VibeSpell upload my repository?

No. Recipe pages are static, and the generator builds the file in your browser from the options you pick. Your source code never leaves the machine.

Other files for .NET

Cline rules for other stacks