Hook Event Handlers

A "hooks" block in .cursor/hooks.json must list at least one handler under an event. A handler names what it runs: a "command", or "type": "prompt" with a "prompt". Cursor runs a handler with no "type" as a command, so { "command": "./.cursor/hooks/format.sh" } is a complete handler. A file with no "hooks" key is not this rule's concern.

Antipatterns

• Empty hooks block. Declaring "hooks": {} or an event with an empty list, so no handler is registered.
• Handler that runs nothing. Listing an object such as { "timeout": 30 } with no "command", "prompt", or "type".

Pass / Fail

Pass

{
  "version": 1,
  "hooks": {
    "beforeShellExecution": [{ "command": ".cursor/hooks/guard.sh" }],
    "afterFileEdit": [{ "command": ".cursor/hooks/format.sh" }]
  }
}

Fail

{ "version": 1, "hooks": {} }

Limitations

Looks for a "type", "command", or "prompt" field inside the "hooks" block itself, not in an unrelated key after it. Does not check that the handler's command exists or that its event name is valid; the command-field and event-type rules cover those.