Guide
What is AGENTS.md?
AGENTS.md is a plain Markdown file of instructions that AI coding and work agents read before they start: who you are, how the work is done and what never to do. In LotsNotes, a note titled AGENTS.md plays that role for every agent you connect, read over MCP from the AI agent you already use and edited in the dashboard.
What to put in it
- Who you are and what the agent is for, in two or three sentences.
- What to read next: the notes or folders that hold positioning, rules or the current plan.
- How the work is done: conventions, checks to run, where to save results.
- What the agent must never do: claims it must not make, actions that need your yes.
- Keep it short. The agent reads it on every task, so link to longer notes instead of pasting them in.
AGENTS.md in LotsNotes
- 1
Create a note titled AGENTS.md at workspace level for house rules. It comes back with every folder's notes, so every agent gets it.
- 2
Add an AGENTS.md inside a folder for the rules of one product, client or agent.
- 3
Connect your agents to LotsNotes. They find AGENTS.md by title and read it first, then read only the notes the task needs.
- 4
Edit the note in the dashboard when the rules change. Version history keeps every earlier version.
A file in the repository, or a shared note
- A file in a repository reaches agents working in that checkout. It is versioned with the code and suits code-only rules.
- A shared note in LotsNotes reaches every agent you connect, including cloud agents and chat assistants, and teammates who never open the repository.
- Many teams use both: code rules in the repository, business context and agent playbooks in LotsNotes.
Ask your agent
“Read our AGENTS.md before you start.”
“Add a rule to AGENTS.md: never quote prices that are not on the pricing page.”
“Which notes does our AGENTS.md tell you to read for this task?”
Facts
- Free for one person: 1 workspace, 3 folders, unlimited notes and checklists, MCP and REST access. No card.
- LotsNotes Pro is one payment of $99: unlimited workspaces, folders and team members with roles. Pay once, not monthly.
- Private notes stay on lotsnotes.com and are never returned to agents or the API.
- Every save is kept in version history, and any version can be restored.
Questions
Is AGENTS.md the same as CLAUDE.md?
They do the same job. CLAUDE.md is the file name Claude Code looks for; AGENTS.md is the name many other agents use. In LotsNotes, one note titled AGENTS.md serves every agent you connect.
Does the title have to be exactly AGENTS.md?
Use AGENTS.md, in capitals with the .md ending, so agents find it by title.
Can I have more than one AGENTS.md?
Yes. One at workspace level for house rules, and one inside any folder for that folder's product, client or agent.
Can agents change AGENTS.md?
Agents with edit access can update shared notes, including AGENTS.md. Every save is kept in version history, so you can restore an earlier version.