Write Once. Distribute Everywhere

You've built the perfect Cursor rule for React best practices. It took weeks to refine. Now developers using Claude Code, Continue, Windsurf, and Copilot want it too.

Your options:

1. Maintain eight separate versions - Different repos, different formats, different update cycles
2. Pick one format and tell others "sorry" - Lose 80% of potential users
3. Copy-paste with manual tweaks - Introduce bugs, forget which version has which fix
4. Give up on multi-platform support - Watch your package's reach plateau

None of these are good. All waste your time. And when AI tooling evolves monthly, the maintenance burden compounds.

PRPM solves this: Write your package once in any format. The registry handles conversion to all eight formats automatically. Users get the right format for their editor. You publish once.

PRPM doesn't just transform text files. It performs lossless, semantically-aware conversions that preserve format-specific features while adapting to each platform's conventions.

Real Example: Cursor Multi-File Rules

Say you publish a Cursor rule that references multiple files with @file syntax:

---
description: React TypeScript best practices
globs:
  - "**/*.tsx"
  - "**/*.ts"
---

# React Component Standards

When creating components, reference @components/Button.tsx for the canonical
pattern. All components must follow @docs/architecture.md conventions.

Use TypeScript strict mode as defined in @tsconfig.json.

What happens when a Claude Code user installs it:

prpm install @yourname/react-best-practices --as claude --subtype skill

PRPM's converter:

1. Recognizes the Cursor format - Parses YAML frontmatter and MDC content
2. Extracts file references - Identifies @components/Button.tsx, @docs/architecture.md, @tsconfig.json
3. Converts to Claude skill syntax - Transforms to Claude's frontmatter structure
4. Preserves glob patterns - Maps Cursor's glob logic to Claude's allowed-tools if specified
5. Maintains semantic intent - The instruction about "canonical pattern" stays intact
6. Generates valid output - Passes Claude's schema validation

The user gets a working Claude skill. You didn't write two versions. Zero maintenance burden.

PRPM supports every major AI coding platform, each with complete JSON schemas and validation:

Each format has different conventions. PRPM knows them all.

1. Lossless Transformation

PRPM's converters don't strip features—they map equivalent capabilities across formats.

Example: File Pattern Matching

• Cursor: globs: ["**/*.tsx"]
• Continue: applyTo: { globs: ["**/*.tsx"] }
• Copilot: applyTo: "*.tsx, **/*.tsx"
• Windsurf: (Frontmatter-free, embedded in content)

Same intent, different syntax. PRPM handles the translation.

2. Format-Specific Features Preserved

Some platforms have unique features. PRPM preserves them when possible:

Claude Code's allowed-tools:

---
name: "Safe Migration Assistant"
description: "Helps with migrations without file deletion"
allowed-tools:
  - read_file
  - write_file
---

When converted to Cursor, this becomes a comment annotation so users understand the intended tool restrictions. When converted to Windsurf (which has no tool restrictions), it's documented in the content.

3. Round-Trip Safety

Convert Cursor → Claude → Cursor? You get the same result (minus format-specific metadata that has no equivalent). PRPM's test suite includes cross-format round-trip validation to catch regressions.

Let's say you maintain Next.js and want to ship a package for the Pages Router → App Router migration.

Traditional Approach (Manual Multi-Format)

Week 1: Write the Cursor version

• Create .cursorrules file
• Test with Cursor IDE
• Publish to GitHub

Week 2: Port to Continue

• Rewrite frontmatter (different required fields)
• Adjust glob patterns (different syntax)
• Test with Continue
• Create separate repo or branch

Week 3: Port to Claude Code

• Rewrite as Claude skill
• Add allowed-tools restrictions
• Convert @file references to plain text
• Test with Claude
• Another repo or branch

Week 4: Port to Windsurf

• Strip frontmatter (Windsurf doesn't use it)
• Ensure under 12k character limit
• Test with Windsurf
• Yet another repo

Result: Four repos, four update cycles, constant sync issues. When you fix a bug in the Cursor version, you have to remember to update the other three.

PRPM Approach (Write Once)

Week 1: Write the package once in your preferred format (say, Cursor)

prpm init
# Edit .cursor/rules/nextjs-app-router-migration.md
prpm publish @nextjs/app-router-migration

That's it.

Users install in their preferred format automatically:

# Cursor user
prpm install @nextjs/app-router-migration

# Claude user
prpm install @nextjs/app-router-migration --as claude --subtype skill

# Continue user
prpm install @nextjs/app-router-migration --as continue

# Windsurf user
prpm install @nextjs/app-router-migration --as windsurf

PRPM converts on-the-fly. Every user gets a validated, working package. You maintain one version.

1. Publish Once, Reach Everyone

7,000+ packages in PRPM. Most were written in a single format and converted to support all platforms. Package authors don't think about formats—PRPM does.

2. Automatic Schema Validation

Before publishing, PRPM validates against the source format's JSON schema. Before conversion, PRPM validates against the target format's schema. Users never get broken packages.

$ prpm publish

✓ Validating against cursor.schema.json
✓ Testing conversions (claude-skill, continue-prompt, windsurf-rule...)
✓ Published @yourname/package@1.0.0

3. Future-Proof

New AI editor launches? PRPM adds conversion support. Your existing package automatically works with it. No republish needed.

Real example: When Claude Code launched hooks support in November 2024, PRPM added claude-hook conversion. Every existing package with equivalent automation became compatible retroactively.

4. Analytics Across Formats

PRPM tracks downloads by format:

@yourname/package downloads (last 30 days):
- cursor: 450
- claude-skill: 320
- continue-prompt: 180
- windsurf-rule: 120
- copilot-instruction: 90

You see which platforms your users prefer. No need to maintain separate analytics per repo.

Step 1: Create Your Package

Write in your preferred format:

mkdir my-package
cd my-package
prpm init

# Choose your format:
# 1. Cursor (MDC with YAML frontmatter)
# 2. Claude (skill/agent/command)
# 3. Continue (prompt with frontmatter)
# ... or any other

# Edit the generated file

Step 2: Test Locally

# Test conversion to all formats
prpm convert --input=.cursor/rules/main.md --validate-all

✓ cursor: valid
✓ claude-skill: valid
✓ continue-prompt: valid
✓ windsurf-rule: valid
✓ copilot-instruction: valid

Step 3: Publish

# One command, all formats supported
prpm publish

✓ Published @yourname/my-package@1.0.0
  Supports: cursor, claude-skill, claude-agent, continue-prompt,
            windsurf-rule, copilot-instruction, kiro-steering, agents-md

Step 4: Monitor Analytics

prpm stats @yourname/my-package

Downloads by format:
  cursor: ████████████ 450
  claude-skill: ████████ 320
  continue-prompt: █████ 180
  ...

Total downloads: 1,240

For Package Authors

• 10x reach with same effort (one package, eight platforms)
• Zero maintenance burden from format differences
• Future-proof against new editors launching

For Package Users

• More packages available for their preferred editor
• Guaranteed compatibility (schema-validated conversions)
• Consistent updates (author publishes once, everyone benefits)

For the AI Coding Community

• Knowledge sharing accelerates - Best practices spread across platforms
• Fragmentation reduces - No more "this only works in Cursor"
• Innovation compounds - Authors focus on content quality, not format maintenance

Ready to reach developers across all AI coding platforms?

# Install PRPM
npm install -g prpm

# Create your package
prpm init

# Publish once
prpm publish @yourname/package

# Reach everyone

Your package will work in Cursor, Claude, Continue, Windsurf, Copilot, Kiro, agents.md, and every future platform PRPM supports.

Write once. Distribute everywhere.

Additional Resources

• Format Specifications Guide - Complete reference for all eight formats
• JSON Schemas for AI Prompts - Deep dive on PRPM's validation system
• Publishing Documentation - Step-by-step publishing guide