Automatic PlantUML Validation and Preview on Save

Feature Requests
1

Background

I use the Cursor AI Editor for system design and create architecture diagrams with PlantUML (.puml files). To ensure valid UML syntax, I wrote a script check_puml.sh that checks .puml files for errors. My current requirements are:

  1. Automatically run check_puml.sh on file save to verify syntax;
  2. If and only if the syntax check passes, invoke ~/loadrc/plantumlmacviewer_go/bin/plantumlviewer to open and preview the .puml file;

I want to know if Cursor Editor supports a “custom workflow” or “custom rule” mechanism to automate these steps, rather than manually running the script in a terminal.

What I’ve Tried

  • Using .cursorrules (and the new .cursor/rules) to define rules that prompt AI to suggest running check_puml.sh on save;
  • Exploring Cursor’s built-in AI Linter, which supports several programming languages but does not include PlantUML;

Desired Solutions or Ideas

  1. Built‑in Hooks or Plugins

    • Does Cursor plan to offer or already support a user‑defined “onSave hook” that can execute arbitrary scripts?
    • Could there be a configuration file (e.g. .cursor/hooks) where I can specify a sequence of commands to run on save?

  2. Enhanced Rules

    • Is it possible to extend .cursorrules or .cursor/rules to directly invoke shell commands on file save and use the exit code to control the next action?
    • Are there any undocumented APIs or advanced settings to achieve this level of automation?

  3. Alternative Approaches

    • Are there community plugins or external integrations that can watch file events within the Cursor environment and run external scripts?
    • Is there a way to use a VS Code “Run on Save”–style extension inside Cursor?

I look forward to hearing community experiences and best practices! If you have sample configurations, scripts, or workflow suggestions, please share them. Thank you!

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