Align Catalog guide

Use the Align Catalog to turn any GitHub rule file or .align.yaml pack into agent-ready outputs without installing anything. Great for trying AlignTrue, sharing Aligns, and grabbing the right format for your agent.

What you can do

• Paste a GitHub URL and generate an Align (single file or pack)
• Preview content and switch between agent formats
• Share a link or download the converted file
• Download whole packs as a zip that preserves folder structure
• Jump into the CLI when you want local sync and automation

Quick start (web)

1. Go to the homepage and choose Import Rules.
2. Paste a GitHub blob/raw URL (e.g., .../blob/main/rules/align.md), a gist URL (e.g., https://gist.github.com/user/abc123), or a repo path containing .align.yaml.
3. Click Import.
4. You’ll land on the Align detail page with previews and actions.

Tip: You can also deep-link with ?url=<github-url> in the query string.

Importing and sharing

• Recent Aligns — the homepage lists recent submissions; open any to share.
• Share link — copy the share URL from the Align detail page to send to others.
• Source link — the header shows the original GitHub file or pack manifest.

Convert to agent formats

1. In the Align detail page, pick an agent in the selector (Cursor, Claude, Copilot, Windsurf, etc.).
2. The preview updates instantly with that agent’s filename and format.
3. Use Copy to grab the converted content, or Download to save the file.

See supported agents in Agent support.

Download options

• Single file Aligns — download the converted file for your selected agent.
• Packs (.align.yaml) — use Download All (.zip) to get every file converted for the selected agent; folder paths are preserved.

Learn how packs work in Align packs.

Importing from Gists

You can import rules shared as GitHub Gists:

1. Paste a gist URL like https://gist.github.com/username/abc123.
2. For gists with multiple files, the primary file is imported automatically. To pick a specific file, add #file-{filename} to the URL (e.g., #file-cursor_rule.xml).
3. Raw gist URLs (https://gist.githubusercontent.com/...) also work.

Using the CLI with the Catalog

When you’re ready to keep rules in sync locally:

# Install and import directly from the Catalog source URL
npm install -g aligntrue
aligntrue init --source https://github.com/org/repo/path/to/rules.md
 
# Keep it as a source for ongoing sync
aligntrue add source https://github.com/org/repo/path/to/rules.md
aligntrue sync

• Works for both single files and .align.yaml packs.
• Use --exporters <agent> to target a specific agent; otherwise all configured exporters run.
• For reusable external Aligns, see Working with external sources.

Installing from social media

• OG cards now include a quick-start command that works even if you don’t have AlignTrue installed yet:

npx aligntrue init a:<align-id>

• The a:<align-id> form resolves through AlignTrue to the original GitHub URL and then stores the GitHub URL in your config for transparency.
• If the source is temporarily unavailable, the command still works using the cached copy from the catalog.
• You can always use the full GitHub URL instead; both forms are supported.

When to use the Catalog vs CLI

• Catalog: Quick previews, sharing links, grabbing one-off agent formats.
• CLI: Continuous sync, team workflows, validation, and CI/CD. Start with Quickstart or Team guide.