URL: /configuration/rules

---
title: "Rules Configuration"
description: "Enable and disable audit rules with pattern matching"
---

The `[rules]` section controls which audit rules run during analysis.

## Configuration

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["*"]
disable = ["ai/*", "content/quality"]
```

## Options

### `enable`

**Type:** `string[]`
**Default:** `["*"]` (all rules)

Patterns of rules to enable. Supports wildcards and specific rule IDs.

**Pattern Syntax:**

- `*` - All rules
- `category/*` - All rules in a category
- `category/rule-name` - Specific rule

**Examples:**

Enable all rules (default):
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["*"]
```

Enable specific categories:
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["core/*", "links/*", "images/*"]
```

Enable specific rules:
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["core/meta-title", "core/meta-description", "links/broken-links"]
```

---

### `disable`

**Type:** `string[]`
**Default:** `["ai/ai-content", "ai/llm-parsability", "content/quality"]`

Patterns of rules to disable. **Takes precedence over `enable`**.

If a rule matches both `enable` and `disable`, it's disabled.

**Examples:**

Disable AI rules (default):
```toml
[rules]
disable = ["ai/*"]
```

Disable slow rules:
```toml
[rules]
disable = ["ai/*", "content/quality", "perf/*"]
```

Disable specific rules:
```toml
[rules]
disable = ["content/word-count", "images/modern-format"]
```

---

## Rule Categories

All 18 audit rule categories:

### Core SEO

**ID:** `core/*`
**Rules:** 11
**Description:** Essential SEO elements

Meta tags, titles, canonical URLs, Open Graph, Twitter Cards, favicons, robots meta tags.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["core/*"]
disable = []
```

**Common rules:**
- `core/meta-title` - Title tag presence and length
- `core/meta-description` - Meta description presence and length
- `core/canonical` - Canonical URL configuration
- `core/h1` - H1 tag presence and uniqueness
- `core/og-tags` - Open Graph tags
- `core/twitter-cards` - Twitter Card tags

---

### Content Quality

**ID:** `content/*`
**Rules:** 11
**Description:** Content analysis and quality checks

Word count, heading hierarchy, duplicates, freshness, broken HTML.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["content/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `content/word-count` - Minimum word count
- `content/heading-hierarchy` - Proper heading structure (H1 → H2 → H3)
- `content/duplicate-title` - Duplicate title tags across pages
- `content/duplicate-description` - Duplicate meta descriptions
- `content/keyword-stuffing` - Excessive keyword repetition
- `content/broken-html` - HTML parsing errors

---

### Links

**ID:** `links/*`
**Rules:** 12
**Description:** Internal and external link analysis

Broken links, redirects, orphan pages, anchor text.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["links/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `links/broken-links` - 404 internal links
- `links/broken-external-links` - 404 external links
- `links/redirect-chains` - Multiple redirects
- `links/orphan-pages` - Pages with no incoming links
- `links/nofollow-internal` - Internal links with nofollow
- `links/https-downgrade` - HTTPS to HTTP downgrades

---

### Images

**ID:** `images/*`
**Rules:** 10
**Description:** Image optimization and accessibility

Alt text, dimensions, formats, lazy loading, file sizes.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["images/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `images/alt-text` - Missing alt attributes
- `images/dimensions` - Missing width/height attributes
- `images/modern-format` - WebP/AVIF format suggestions
- `images/lazy-loading` - Lazy loading implementation
- `images/image-file-size` - Large image file sizes

---

### Schema (Structured Data)

**ID:** `schema/*`
**Rules:** 10
**Description:** JSON-LD and structured data validation

Article, Product, LocalBusiness, FAQ, Breadcrumb, Organization schemas.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["schema/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `schema/json-ld-valid` - Valid JSON-LD syntax
- `schema/article` - Article schema validation
- `schema/product` - Product schema validation
- `schema/breadcrumb` - Breadcrumb schema
- `schema/organization` - Organization schema

---

### Security

**ID:** `security/*`
**Rules:** 9
**Description:** Security headers and HTTPS

HTTPS, HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options, mixed content.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["security/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `security/https` - HTTPS usage
- `security/hsts` - HSTS header presence
- `security/csp` - Content Security Policy
- `security/mixed-content` - Mixed HTTP/HTTPS content
- `security/x-frame-options` - Clickjacking protection

---

### Accessibility

**ID:** `a11y/*`
**Rules:** 12
**Description:** Web accessibility (WCAG)

ARIA labels, color contrast, keyboard navigation, screen readers.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["a11y/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `a11y/skip-link` - Skip navigation link
- `a11y/aria-labels` - Proper ARIA attributes
- `a11y/form-labels` - Form label associations
- `a11y/color-contrast` - Sufficient color contrast
- `a11y/link-text` - Descriptive link text

---

### Internationalization

**ID:** `i18n/*`
**Rules:** 2
**Description:** Multi-language support

Lang attributes, hreflang tags.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["i18n/*"]
```

**Rules:**
- `i18n/lang-attribute` - HTML lang attribute
- `i18n/hreflang` - Hreflang alternate links

---

### Performance

**ID:** `perf/*`
**Rules:** 9
**Description:** Core Web Vitals and performance hints

LCP, CLS, INP hints, font loading, preconnect.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["perf/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `perf/lcp-hints` - Largest Contentful Paint optimization
- `perf/cls-hints` - Cumulative Layout Shift hints
- `perf/font-loading` - Font loading strategies
- `perf/render-blocking` - Render-blocking resources

---

### Social Media

**ID:** `social/*`
**Rules:** 4
**Description:** Social media optimization

Open Graph images, URL matching, social profiles.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["social/*"]
```

**Rules:**
- `social/og-image-size` - Open Graph image dimensions
- `social/og-url-match` - OG URL matches canonical
- `social/social-profiles` - Social profile links
- `social/share-buttons` - Social sharing buttons

---

### Crawlability

**ID:** `crawl/*`
**Rules:** 15
**Description:** Search engine crawlability

Robots.txt, sitemaps, indexability, canonical chains.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["crawl/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `crawl/robots-txt` - Robots.txt existence and validity
- `crawl/sitemap-exists` - XML sitemap presence
- `crawl/sitemap-valid` - Sitemap XML validity
- `crawl/indexability` - Indexable pages
- `crawl/canonical-chain` - Canonical chain detection

---

### URL Structure

**ID:** `url/*`
**Rules:** 8
**Description:** URL formatting and best practices

Length, keywords, hyphens, parameters.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["url/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `url/length` - URL length limits
- `url/slug-keywords` - Descriptive URL slugs
- `url/hyphens` - Hyphen usage (not underscores)
- `url/parameters` - Query parameter best practices

---

### Mobile Optimization

**ID:** `mobile/*`
**Rules:** 6
**Description:** Mobile-friendly design

Viewport meta tag, tap targets, font sizes.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["mobile/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `mobile/viewport` - Viewport meta tag
- `mobile/tap-targets` - Touch target sizing
- `mobile/font-size` - Readable font sizes

---

### Legal Compliance

**ID:** `legal/*`
**Rules:** 3
**Description:** Legal requirements

Privacy policy, cookie consent, terms of service.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["legal/*"]
```

**Rules:**
- `legal/privacy-policy` - Privacy policy page
- `legal/cookie-consent` - Cookie consent mechanism
- `legal/terms-of-service` - Terms of service page

---

### Local SEO

**ID:** `local/*`
**Rules:** 3
**Description:** Local business optimization

NAP consistency, geo meta tags, service areas.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["local/*"]
```

**Rules:**
- `local/nap-consistency` - Name, address, phone consistency
- `local/geo-meta` - Geographic meta tags
- `local/service-area` - Service area markup

---

### Video Optimization

**ID:** `video/*`
**Rules:** 3
**Description:** Video content optimization

Video schema, thumbnails, accessibility.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["video/*"]
```

**Rules:**
- `video/video-schema` - VideoObject schema
- `video/video-thumbnail` - Video thumbnail presence
- `video/video-accessible` - Video accessibility features

---

### Analytics

**ID:** `analytics/*`
**Rules:** 2
**Description:** Analytics and tracking

Google Tag Manager, consent mode.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["analytics/*"]
```

**Rules:**
- `analytics/gtm-present` - Google Tag Manager
- `analytics/consent-mode` - Google Consent Mode v2

---

### E-E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

**ID:** `eeat/*`
**Rules:** 14
**Description:** Trust and authority signals

Author info, citations, about page, editorial policy.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["eeat/*"]
```

**Common rules:**
- `eeat/author-byline` - Author attribution
- `eeat/content-dates` - Content dates
- `eeat/citations` - External citations
- `eeat/about-page` - About page presence
- `eeat/contact-page` - Contact information

---

### AI & LLM

**ID:** `ai/*`
**Rules:** 2
**Description:** AI-powered analysis (requires LLM)

**DISABLED BY DEFAULT** - Requires OpenRouter API key.

AI content detection, LLM parsability.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["*"]
disable = []  # Remove ai/* from disable list
```

**Rules:**
- `ai/ai-content` - AI-generated content detection
- `ai/llm-parsability` - LLM-friendly structure

**Note:** Requires `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` environment variable.

---

### Adblock Detection

**ID:** `adblock/*`
**Rules:** 2
**Description:** Adblock filter impact

Element hiding, blocked tracking domains.

**Enable:**
```toml
[rules]
enable = ["adblock/*"]
```

**Rules:**
- `adblock/element-hiding` - Elements hidden by adblockers
- `adblock/blocked-links` - Links to blocked domains

---

## Configuration Examples

### SEO-Focused Audit

Focus on SEO rules only:

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["core/*", "content/*", "crawl/*", "url/*", "schema/*"]
disable = []
```

### Accessibility Audit

Focus on accessibility and mobile:

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["a11y/*", "mobile/*"]
disable = []
```

### Performance Audit

Focus on performance and images:

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["perf/*", "images/*"]
disable = []
```

### Security Audit

Focus on security headers and HTTPS:

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["security/*"]
disable = []
```

### All Rules Except AI

Enable everything except AI-powered rules:

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["*"]
disable = ["ai/*"]
```

### Fast Audit (Core Only)

Quick audit with just essential checks:

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["core/*"]
disable = []
```

### Disable Slow Rules

Exclude computationally expensive rules:

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["*"]
disable = ["ai/*", "content/quality", "perf/cls-hints"]
```

### CI/CD Pipeline

Strict subset for automated checks:

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["core/*", "security/*", "links/broken-links"]
disable = []
```

## Pattern Matching

### Wildcards

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["core/*"]      # All core rules
disable = ["core/og-*"]  # Disable all OG rules
```

### Multiple Patterns

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["core/*", "links/*", "images/*"]
disable = ["images/modern-format", "links/orphan-pages"]
```

### Disable Takes Precedence

```toml
[rules]
enable = ["*"]           # Enable all
disable = ["ai/*"]       # But disable AI (wins)
```

Result: All rules except AI category.

## Rule Weights

Each rule has a weight (1-10) reflecting its importance:

| Weight | Importance | Example Rules |
|--------|------------|---------------|
| 10 | Critical | `core/meta-title`, `crawl/robots-txt` |
| 8 | High | `core/canonical`, `links/broken-links` |
| 6 | Medium | `images/alt-text`, `content/word-count` |
| 4 | Low | `url/hyphens`, `social/share-buttons` |
| 2 | Info | `analytics/gtm-present` |

Weights affect the health score calculation.

## Related

- [Rule Options](/configuration/rule-options) - Per-rule configuration
- [Rules Reference](/rules) - All audit rules
- [Configuration Examples](/configuration/examples) - Common patterns