---
projectPath: ./
cursorPath: .
description: File operation guidelines to prevent content loss
globs: **/*
alwaysApply: true
---
# File Management Guard
Before creating a file, check if it already exists. If it exists and there is no explicit instruction to overwrite, merge content instead of replacing.
## Best Practices for File Operations
1. **Check Existence**: Always verify if a file exists before creating it.
2. **Preserve Content**: When a file exists, preserve important elements:
- Comments and documentation
- Existing imports
- License headers
- Configuration settings
3. **Merge Strategies**:
- For code files: Add new functions, classes, or methods without removing existing ones
- For configuration files: Add new settings while preserving existing ones
- For documentation: Append new information or integrate it with existing content
4. **Communicate Changes**: When modifying existing files, document the nature of the changes.
## When to Overwrite
Only overwrite files when:
1. Explicitly instructed to do so
2. The file is known to be a generated file that should be recreated
3. The entire purpose of the file is being changed
