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CursorRIPER

CursorRIPER Framework - Customization Guide

The CursorRIPER Framework is designed to be highly customizable to match your preferences and project needs. This guide explains how to customize the framework's behavior through the customization.mdc file.

Customization Overview

flowchart TD
    A[customization.mdc] --> B[Response Style]
    A --> C[Mode Behavior]
    A --> D[Memory Management]
    A --> E[Archive Behavior]
    A --> F[Command Aliases]
    A --> G[Mode Extensions]
    A --> H[Documentation Preferences]
    A --> I[Custom Project Structure]
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Customization File Location

The customization file is located at:

.cursor/rules/customization.mdc

This file is loaded after core framework components and can override default behaviors.

Customization Categories

1. Response Style

Control how the AI assistant communicates with you:

RESPONSE_VERBOSITY: "BALANCED"

Possible values:

  • "CONCISE": Short, direct responses with minimal explanation
  • "BALANCED": Moderate detail with clear explanations (default)
  • "DETAILED": Comprehensive responses with extensive context
CODE_STYLE_PREFERENCES: ""

Specify your coding style preferences, such as:

  • Indentation (tabs vs. spaces, size)
  • Naming conventions (camelCase, snake_case, etc.)
  • Line length limitations
  • Bracket placement
  • Comment style
EXPLANATION_LEVEL: "MEDIUM"

Possible values:

  • "MINIMAL": Basic explanation of code functionality
  • "MEDIUM": Balanced explanation of code with key implementation details (default)
  • "COMPREHENSIVE": Detailed explanation of all aspects of the code

2. Mode Behavior

Customize how modes operate and transition:

SUGGEST_MODE_TRANSITIONS: true

If true, the AI can suggest when a mode transition might be appropriate.

AUTO_MODE_TRANSITION: false

If true, the AI can automatically transition between modes (except to EXECUTE). EXECUTE mode always requires explicit user authorization.

PLAN_QUESTION_COUNT: 5

Number of clarifying questions the AI will ask in PLAN mode before drafting a plan.

3. Memory Management

Control how and when memory files are updated:

AUTO_UPDATE_MEMORY: true

If true, the AI will automatically update memory files after significant changes.

MEMORY_UPDATE_FREQUENCY: "AFTER_COMPLETION"

Possible values:

  • "AFTER_EVERY_RESPONSE": Update after each AI response
  • "AFTER_COMPLETION": Update after completing a significant task (default)
  • "MANUAL_ONLY": Only update when explicitly requested
REQUIRED_MEMORY_FILES: ["projectbrief.md", "activeContext.md", "progress.md"]

List of memory files that must exist for the framework to function properly.

4. Archive Behavior

Configure how archiving works:

AUTO_ARCHIVE_START_PHASE: true

If true, the START phase will be automatically archived upon completion.

BACKUP_FREQUENCY: "DAILY"

Possible values:

  • "NEVER": Don't create automatic backups
  • "DAILY": Create backups daily (default)
  • "WEEKLY": Create backups weekly
  • "BEFORE_CHANGES": Create backups before making significant changes
KEEP_BACKUP_COUNT: 5

Number of backup sets to retain before deleting the oldest.

5. Command Aliases

Create shortcuts for mode transition commands:

CUSTOM_COMMANDS: {
  "/r": "/research",
  "/i": "/innovate",
  "/p": "/plan",
  "/e": "/execute",
  "/rev": "/review"
}

Define your own aliases for frequently used commands.

6. Mode Extensions

Add custom behaviors to each RIPER mode:

RESEARCH_MODE_EXTENSIONS: []
INNOVATE_MODE_EXTENSIONS: []
PLAN_MODE_EXTENSIONS: []
EXECUTE_MODE_EXTENSIONS: []
REVIEW_MODE_EXTENSIONS: []

Each array can contain strings that define additional behaviors for the respective mode.

7. Framework Extensions

Add custom phases and workflows:

CUSTOM_PHASES: []

Additional project phases beyond the standard ones.

CUSTOM_WORKFLOWS: []

Custom workflows for specific project types.

8. Documentation Preferences

Configure how documentation is generated:

DOCUMENTATION_STYLE: "MARKDOWN"

Format for generated documentation.

INCLUDE_CODE_COMMENTS: true

Whether to include detailed comments in generated code.

CODE_BLOCK_LANGUAGE_TAGS: true

Whether to include language tags in code blocks.

9. AI Output Format

Configure how the AI formats its responses:

MODE_DECLARATION_FORMAT: "[MODE: {mode}]"

Format string for mode declarations at the start of responses.

PROGRESS_INDICATOR_FORMAT: "[{current_step}/{total_steps}]"

Format for progress indicators in responses.

10. Custom Project Structure

Define project-specific settings:

PROJECT_TYPE: "DEFAULT"

Identifies the type of project for specialized handling.

CUSTOM_FOLDER_STRUCTURE: {}

Custom folder structure definitions for project scaffolding.

TECHNOLOGY_PRESETS: {}

Predefined technology stacks for quick selection.

Customization Examples

Here are examples of common customization scenarios:

Example 1: Concise AI Responses

RESPONSE_VERBOSITY: "CONCISE"
EXPLANATION_LEVEL: "MINIMAL"

This configuration will make the AI provide shorter, more direct responses with minimal explanations.

Example 2: Automatic Mode Transitions

SUGGEST_MODE_TRANSITIONS: true
AUTO_MODE_TRANSITION: true

This allows the AI to suggest and automatically perform mode transitions (except to EXECUTE mode, which always requires explicit authorization).

Example 3: Custom Command Shortcuts

CUSTOM_COMMANDS: {
  "/rs": "/research",
  "/in": "/innovate",
  "/pl": "/plan",
  "/ex": "/execute",
  "/rv": "/review",
  "/s": "/start"
}

These shortcuts provide quicker access to mode transitions.

Example 4: Frontend Project Configuration

PROJECT_TYPE: "FRONTEND"
TECHNOLOGY_PRESETS: {
  "FRONTEND": {
    "languages": ["JavaScript", "TypeScript", "HTML", "CSS"],
    "frameworks": ["React", "Vue", "Angular"],
    "buildTools": ["Webpack", "Vite"]
  }
}

Specialized configuration for frontend projects.

Applying Changes

To apply changes to your customization settings:

  1. Edit .cursor/rules/customization.mdc with your preferred settings
  2. Save the file
  3. Start a new chat session in Cursor IDE

The AI assistant will load your custom settings and acknowledge the active customizations in its first response of each session.

Restoring Default Settings

To restore default settings:

  1. Delete the custom values from .cursor/rules/customization.mdc
  2. Replace with default values or leave blank to use framework defaults
  3. Start a new chat session in Cursor IDE

Advanced Customization

For advanced use cases, consider:

  1. Custom Mode Extensions: Create specialized behaviors for specific project types
  2. Custom Phases: Design new phases for specialized development workflows
  3. Integration with CI/CD: Configure the framework to work with your CI/CD pipeline
  4. Custom Memory Files: Add project-specific memory files for specialized information

Best Practices

  1. Start Simple: Begin with minimal customization and add more as needed
  2. Document Changes: Note why you've customized specific settings
  3. Version Control: Include customization file in version control for team consistency
  4. Regular Review: Periodically review customizations to ensure they still meet your needs
  5. Team Alignment: Ensure team members understand and follow customized workflows

The CursorRIPER Framework prevents coding disasters while maintaining perfect continuity across sessions.