diff --git a/templates/assistant-ui/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/assistant-ui/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..786efa3fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/assistant-ui/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+description: Echo Next.js template rules for server routes, client providers, and safe env usage
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo Next.js template rules
+
+- Keep Echo server wiring centralized in `src/echo/index.ts` (or `echo.ts` in this template) and only expose handlers through the App Router echo route.
+- Keep the echo route as a thin passthrough (`export const { GET, POST } = handlers`) in `app/api/echo/[...echo]/route.ts` (or `[...path]/route.ts`).
+- Use `ECHO_APP_ID` for server-side Echo setup and `NEXT_PUBLIC_ECHO_APP_ID` for client-side provider config.
+- In client components, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk/client`; in server code, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk`.
+- Do not expose provider API keys or secrets in client code. Route model calls through server route handlers.
+- Preserve existing App Router conventions, path aliases, and component structure used by this template.
diff --git a/templates/authjs/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/authjs/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..786efa3fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/authjs/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+description: Echo Next.js template rules for server routes, client providers, and safe env usage
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo Next.js template rules
+
+- Keep Echo server wiring centralized in `src/echo/index.ts` (or `echo.ts` in this template) and only expose handlers through the App Router echo route.
+- Keep the echo route as a thin passthrough (`export const { GET, POST } = handlers`) in `app/api/echo/[...echo]/route.ts` (or `[...path]/route.ts`).
+- Use `ECHO_APP_ID` for server-side Echo setup and `NEXT_PUBLIC_ECHO_APP_ID` for client-side provider config.
+- In client components, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk/client`; in server code, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk`.
+- Do not expose provider API keys or secrets in client code. Route model calls through server route handlers.
+- Preserve existing App Router conventions, path aliases, and component structure used by this template.
diff --git a/templates/echo-cli/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/echo-cli/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9bea2921
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/echo-cli/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+description: Echo CLI template rules for command architecture, auth flows, and secure wallet handling
+globs: **/*.{ts,js,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo CLI template rules
+
+- Define CLI commands in `src/index.ts` using Commander and keep command handlers thin.
+- Put business logic in existing modules (`src/core`, `src/auth`, `src/utils`, `src/config`) instead of inlining logic in command definitions.
+- Read `ECHO_APP_ID` from environment-backed constants and keep configuration centralized in `src/constants.ts`.
+- Never log or persist sensitive values (private keys, tokens, session secrets) outside secure keychain/storage paths already used by this template.
+- Reuse existing print, validation, and error utilities for consistent CLI output and failure handling.
+- Preserve current async command patterns (`process.exit` semantics, prompt cancellation handling, and auth gating behavior).
diff --git a/templates/next-chat/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/next-chat/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..786efa3fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/next-chat/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+description: Echo Next.js template rules for server routes, client providers, and safe env usage
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo Next.js template rules
+
+- Keep Echo server wiring centralized in `src/echo/index.ts` (or `echo.ts` in this template) and only expose handlers through the App Router echo route.
+- Keep the echo route as a thin passthrough (`export const { GET, POST } = handlers`) in `app/api/echo/[...echo]/route.ts` (or `[...path]/route.ts`).
+- Use `ECHO_APP_ID` for server-side Echo setup and `NEXT_PUBLIC_ECHO_APP_ID` for client-side provider config.
+- In client components, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk/client`; in server code, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk`.
+- Do not expose provider API keys or secrets in client code. Route model calls through server route handlers.
+- Preserve existing App Router conventions, path aliases, and component structure used by this template.
diff --git a/templates/next-image/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/next-image/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..786efa3fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/next-image/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+description: Echo Next.js template rules for server routes, client providers, and safe env usage
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo Next.js template rules
+
+- Keep Echo server wiring centralized in `src/echo/index.ts` (or `echo.ts` in this template) and only expose handlers through the App Router echo route.
+- Keep the echo route as a thin passthrough (`export const { GET, POST } = handlers`) in `app/api/echo/[...echo]/route.ts` (or `[...path]/route.ts`).
+- Use `ECHO_APP_ID` for server-side Echo setup and `NEXT_PUBLIC_ECHO_APP_ID` for client-side provider config.
+- In client components, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk/client`; in server code, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk`.
+- Do not expose provider API keys or secrets in client code. Route model calls through server route handlers.
+- Preserve existing App Router conventions, path aliases, and component structure used by this template.
diff --git a/templates/next-video-template/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/next-video-template/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..786efa3fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/next-video-template/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+description: Echo Next.js template rules for server routes, client providers, and safe env usage
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo Next.js template rules
+
+- Keep Echo server wiring centralized in `src/echo/index.ts` (or `echo.ts` in this template) and only expose handlers through the App Router echo route.
+- Keep the echo route as a thin passthrough (`export const { GET, POST } = handlers`) in `app/api/echo/[...echo]/route.ts` (or `[...path]/route.ts`).
+- Use `ECHO_APP_ID` for server-side Echo setup and `NEXT_PUBLIC_ECHO_APP_ID` for client-side provider config.
+- In client components, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk/client`; in server code, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk`.
+- Do not expose provider API keys or secrets in client code. Route model calls through server route handlers.
+- Preserve existing App Router conventions, path aliases, and component structure used by this template.
diff --git a/templates/next/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/next/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..786efa3fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/next/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+description: Echo Next.js template rules for server routes, client providers, and safe env usage
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo Next.js template rules
+
+- Keep Echo server wiring centralized in `src/echo/index.ts` (or `echo.ts` in this template) and only expose handlers through the App Router echo route.
+- Keep the echo route as a thin passthrough (`export const { GET, POST } = handlers`) in `app/api/echo/[...echo]/route.ts` (or `[...path]/route.ts`).
+- Use `ECHO_APP_ID` for server-side Echo setup and `NEXT_PUBLIC_ECHO_APP_ID` for client-side provider config.
+- In client components, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk/client`; in server code, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk`.
+- Do not expose provider API keys or secrets in client code. Route model calls through server route handlers.
+- Preserve existing App Router conventions, path aliases, and component structure used by this template.
diff --git a/templates/nextjs-api-key-template/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/nextjs-api-key-template/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..786efa3fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/nextjs-api-key-template/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+description: Echo Next.js template rules for server routes, client providers, and safe env usage
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo Next.js template rules
+
+- Keep Echo server wiring centralized in `src/echo/index.ts` (or `echo.ts` in this template) and only expose handlers through the App Router echo route.
+- Keep the echo route as a thin passthrough (`export const { GET, POST } = handlers`) in `app/api/echo/[...echo]/route.ts` (or `[...path]/route.ts`).
+- Use `ECHO_APP_ID` for server-side Echo setup and `NEXT_PUBLIC_ECHO_APP_ID` for client-side provider config.
+- In client components, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk/client`; in server code, import from `@merit-systems/echo-next-sdk`.
+- Do not expose provider API keys or secrets in client code. Route model calls through server route handlers.
+- Preserve existing App Router conventions, path aliases, and component structure used by this template.
diff --git a/templates/react-chat/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/react-chat/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2ef987d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/react-chat/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+description: Echo React (Vite) template rules for provider setup, hooks, and client-safe patterns
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo React template rules
+
+- Keep Echo provider setup at the app root (`src/main.tsx` or `src/App.tsx`) and pass `import.meta.env.VITE_ECHO_APP_ID`.
+- Use hooks and helpers from `@merit-systems/echo-react-sdk` (`useEcho`, `useChat`, `EchoTokens`, `EchoProvider`) instead of custom wrappers unless needed.
+- Keep all credentials and provider secrets out of client code; only public Echo app ID values belong in Vite env vars.
+- Follow existing Vite + React patterns in this template (module paths, component layout, styling approach, and TypeScript strictness).
+- For chat and generation flows, keep streaming and message-state logic in the existing component boundaries.
diff --git a/templates/react-image/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/react-image/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2ef987d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/react-image/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+description: Echo React (Vite) template rules for provider setup, hooks, and client-safe patterns
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo React template rules
+
+- Keep Echo provider setup at the app root (`src/main.tsx` or `src/App.tsx`) and pass `import.meta.env.VITE_ECHO_APP_ID`.
+- Use hooks and helpers from `@merit-systems/echo-react-sdk` (`useEcho`, `useChat`, `EchoTokens`, `EchoProvider`) instead of custom wrappers unless needed.
+- Keep all credentials and provider secrets out of client code; only public Echo app ID values belong in Vite env vars.
+- Follow existing Vite + React patterns in this template (module paths, component layout, styling approach, and TypeScript strictness).
+- For chat and generation flows, keep streaming and message-state logic in the existing component boundaries.
diff --git a/templates/react/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc b/templates/react/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2ef987d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/react/.cursor/rules/echo_rules.mdc
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+description: Echo React (Vite) template rules for provider setup, hooks, and client-safe patterns
+globs: **/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs}
+---
+
+# Echo React template rules
+
+- Keep Echo provider setup at the app root (`src/main.tsx` or `src/App.tsx`) and pass `import.meta.env.VITE_ECHO_APP_ID`.
+- Use hooks and helpers from `@merit-systems/echo-react-sdk` (`useEcho`, `useChat`, `EchoTokens`, `EchoProvider`) instead of custom wrappers unless needed.
+- Keep all credentials and provider secrets out of client code; only public Echo app ID values belong in Vite env vars.
+- Follow existing Vite + React patterns in this template (module paths, component layout, styling approach, and TypeScript strictness).
+- For chat and generation flows, keep streaming and message-state logic in the existing component boundaries.