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Overview

Notepads are powerful context-sharing tools in Cursor that bridge the gap between composers and chat interactions. Think of them as enhanced reference documents that go beyond the capabilities of .cursorrules, allowing you to create reusable contexts for your development workflow.

Notepads serve as collections of thoughts, rules, and documentation that can be:

• Shared between different parts of your development environment
• Referenced using the @ syntax
• Enhanced with file attachments
• Used as dynamic templates for various development scenarios

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Getting started

1. Click the ”+” button in the Notepads section
2. Give your notepad a meaningful name
3. Add your content, context, files and other relevant information the same way you would in composer or chat.
4. Reference it in composers or chat using @

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Key features

• Context Sharing: Seamlessly share context between composers and chat
• File Attachments: Attach documentation and reference files (not possible in .cursorrules)
• Dynamic References: Use @ mentions to link to other resources
• Flexible Content: Write and structure information in a way that suits your needs

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Common use cases

1. Dynamic Boilerplate Generation

   • Create templates for common code patterns
   • Store project-specific scaffolding rules
   • Maintain consistent code structure across your team

2. Architecture Documentation

   • Frontend specifications
   • Backend design patterns
   • Data model documentation
   • System architecture guidelines

3. Development Guidelines

   • Coding standards
   • Project-specific rules
   • Best practices
   • Team conventions

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FAQ

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What should I write in Notepads?

Notepads are ideal for:

• Project architecture decisions
• Development guidelines and standards
• Reusable code templates
• Documentation that needs to be referenced frequently
• Team-specific conventions and rules

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What should not be written in Notepads?

Avoid using Notepads for:

• Temporary notes or scratch work
• Information that belongs in version control (like git)
• Sensitive data or credentials
• Highly volatile information that changes frequently

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Should I follow a particular format or structure?

While Notepads are flexible, we recommend:

• Using clear headings and sections
• Including examples where relevant
• Keeping content focused and organized
• Using markdown formatting for better readability
• Adding relevant file attachments when necessary

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Example Notepad

Here’s a typical example of a Notepad for a web application project:

# API Development Guidelines

## Endpoint Structure
- Use RESTful conventions
- Base URL: `/api/v1`
- Resource naming in plural form

## Authentication
- JWT-based authentication
- Token format: Bearer {token}
- Refresh token mechanism required

## Response Format
{
  "status": "success|error",
  "data": {},
  "message": "Optional message"
} 

## Attached References
@api-specs.yaml
@auth-flow.md