What Gets Created
Running mxcli init creates the following directory structure in your Mendix project.
Universal Files (All Tools)
These files are shared by all AI tools:
your-mendix-project/
├── AGENTS.md # Comprehensive AI assistant guide
├── .ai-context/
│ ├── skills/ # MDL pattern guides
│ │ ├── write-microflows.md # Microflow syntax and patterns
│ │ ├── create-page.md # Page/widget syntax reference
│ │ ├── alter-page.md # ALTER PAGE in-place modifications
│ │ ├── overview-pages.md # CRUD page patterns
│ │ ├── master-detail-pages.md # Master-detail page patterns
│ │ ├── generate-domain-model.md # Entity/Association syntax
│ │ ├── check-syntax.md # Pre-flight validation checklist
│ │ ├── organize-project.md # Folders, MOVE, project structure
│ │ ├── manage-security.md # Roles, access control, GRANT/REVOKE
│ │ ├── manage-navigation.md # Navigation profiles, menus
│ │ ├── demo-data.md # Database/import/demo data
│ │ ├── xpath-constraints.md # XPath syntax in WHERE clauses
│ │ ├── database-connections.md # External database connections
│ │ ├── test-microflows.md # Test annotations and Docker setup
│ │ └── patterns-data-processing.md # Delta merge, batch processing
│ └── examples/ # Example MDL scripts
├── mxcli # CLI executable (copied)
└── .devcontainer/ # Dev container configuration
├── devcontainer.json
└── Dockerfile
Tool-Specific Files
Claude Code
.claude/
├── settings.json # Claude Code project settings
├── commands/ # Slash commands for Claude
│ └── mendix/ # Mendix-specific commands
└── lint-rules/ # Starlark lint rules
CLAUDE.md # Project context for Claude
Cursor
.cursorrules # Compact MDL reference and command guide
Continue.dev
.continue/
└── config.json # Custom commands and slash commands
Windsurf
.windsurfrules # MDL rules for Codeium's AI
Aider
.aider.conf.yml # YAML configuration for Aider
Dev Container Contents
The .devcontainer/ provides a sandboxed environment with:
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| mxcli | Mendix CLI binary |
| MxBuild / mx | Project validation and building (auto-downloaded on first use) |
| JDK 21 (Adoptium) | Required by MxBuild |
| Docker-in-Docker | Running Mendix apps locally with mxcli docker |
| Node.js | Playwright testing support |
| PostgreSQL client | Database connectivity |
| Claude Code | AI coding assistant (auto-installed on container creation) |
Key paths inside the container:
~/.mxcli/mxbuild/{version}/modeler/mx # mx check / mx build
~/.mxcli/runtime/{version}/ # Mendix runtime (auto-downloaded)
./mxcli # Project-local mxcli binary
Skills Overview
The skill files in .ai-context/skills/ teach AI assistants how to generate correct MDL. Each skill covers a specific topic:
| Skill File | What It Teaches |
|---|---|
write-microflows.md | Microflow syntax, common mistakes, validation checklist |
create-page.md | Page/widget syntax reference |
overview-pages.md | CRUD page patterns (data grids, search, buttons) |
generate-domain-model.md | Entity, attribute, association, enumeration syntax |
manage-security.md | Module roles, user roles, GRANT/REVOKE patterns |
demo-data.md | Mendix ID system, association storage, data insertion |
check-syntax.md | Pre-flight validation checklist before execution |
AI assistants are instructed to read the relevant skill file before generating MDL for that topic.