> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kodus.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Rule Inheritance

> How Global → Repository → Directory rules are inherited, and how to stop or exclude inheritance at specific levels.

## Overview

By default, Kody Rules are inherited down the hierarchy:

**Global → Repository → Directory**

The effective rule set at each level is:

* Rules defined at that level, plus
* Rules inherited from the parent level,
* Minus any rules explicitly excluded at that level.

## Default behavior

* Global rules apply to all repositories and directories by default.
* Repository rules inherit all Global rules, plus any rules defined specifically for that repository.
* Directory rules inherit all rules from their repository, plus any rules defined specifically for that directory.

No action is required to enable inheritance — it is automatic.

## Breaking inheritance

There are two ways to stop a rule from being inherited:

### 1) Mark a rule as non‑inheritable (at creation time)

When creating a rule at any level (Global, Repository, or Directory), you can mark it as “non‑inheritable.”

Effect:

* The rule applies only at the level where it was created.
* It does not appear in child levels.

Use this when a rule is intentionally specific to a particular scope and should not flow down the hierarchy.

### 2) Exclude a parent rule from a child level

From a child configuration (Repository or Directory), you can explicitly exclude a rule that would otherwise be inherited from the parent.

Effect:

* The rule is not applied at that exact child level.
* The exclusion does not cascade further — grandchildren still see the parent’s rule unless they also exclude it (or the rule was created as non‑inheritable).

Use this to fine‑tune behavior for a specific repository or directory without affecting other children.

## Examples

### Excluding at the repository level

Suppose a Global rule “Require tests for new endpoints” exists. In repository “shop”, you exclude this rule at the repository level.

Result:

* At the repository level, the rule no longer applies.
* If you have a configured directory inside the same repository (e.g., `apps/api`), that directory still inherits the Global rule and will apply it — unless you also exclude it at the directory level, or the original Global rule was created as non‑inheritable.

### Creating a non‑inheritable Global rule

You create a Global rule and mark it as non‑inheritable.

Result:

* The rule applies only at the Global level.
* Repositories and directories do not inherit it.

## Practical tips

* Keep foundational rules at the Global level so all repos benefit by default.
* Use non‑inheritable rules for highly specific contexts that shouldn’t affect children.
* Use child‑level exclusions to make targeted exceptions without impacting other repos or directories.

## Related

* <a href="/how_to_use/en/code_review/configs/kody_rules">Kody Rules Overview</a>
* <a href="/how_to_use/en/code_review/configs/directory_level">Directory-Level Settings</a>
* <a href="/how_to_use/en/code_review/configs/inheritance_overrides">Config Inheritance & Overrides</a>
* <a href="/how_to_use/en/code_review/configs/centralized_config">Centralized Config</a> — manage rules as YAML files under `.kody-rules/` in a single repository.