Cline — Rules

File format

Markdown

Discovery paths

.clinerules, ~/Documents/Cline/Rules

Syllago install method

Project scope, Direct copy

Symlink support

Yes

Native frontmatter fields

paths

Features

How each feature converts to syllago's canonical format. See format conversion for what these statuses mean.

Fields

Native frontmatter or config fields this provider exposes. The first column is the provider's own field name; the canonical key column links to syllago's cross-provider equivalent.

Provider field	Conversion	Canonical key	Summary
paths	Embedded Conversion type: Embedded No canonical equivalent — appended as prose in a conversion notes block so nothing is silently lost. Learn more →	—	Gates rule activation to files matching a glob array; empty array disables, missing frontmatter is always-on.

Other features

Behaviors, conventions, and capabilities that aren't tied to a single named field — things like path-based activation, discovery rules, and lifecycle behavior.

Feature	Conversion	Summary
activation_mode	Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more →	conditional_rules_paths: Cline supports path-conditional rules alongside always-on rules; conditions use glob patterns
cross_provider_recognition	Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more →	multi_source_rule_detection: Cline reads .clinerules/, .cursorrules, CLAUDE.md, and other provider rule files automatically
/newrule Slash Command for Interactive Rule Creation	Not portable Conversion type: Not portable Unique to this provider — can’t be carried across providers. Learn more →	Built-in /newrule command guides the user through creating a .clinerules file interactively.
Multi-Source Rule Detection	Not portable Conversion type: Not portable Unique to this provider — can’t be carried across providers. Learn more →	Cline auto-loads rule files from .cursorrules, .windsurfrules, and AGENTS.md alongside its own .clinerules/ directory.
Per-Rule Enable/Disable Toggle	Not portable Conversion type: Not portable Unique to this provider — can’t be carried across providers. Learn more →	UI toggle in the Rules panel to enable or disable each rule file without deleting it.

Sources

Source
https://docs.cline.bot/customization/rules