Cursor

Unlocking Cursor: Your Beginner's Guide to the AI-Powered IDE

Welcome to our opening article about Cursor (AI IDE). In this article, we would cover all the basic and core knowledge that you need to know about it. And which you would be using most of the time. We’ll do it in depth, without cutting any corners! And in our 

, we'll get into even more complex topics, like advanced tips, Cursor’s Cmd+K, Composer, and Agent features. But first, we’ll start from building a really solid background. So, let's jump right in to it!

Nowadays, tech grows and moves so fast that sometimes it's hard to keep up. To stay on top, we as the developers, always have to be ready embrace new tools, which can increase our productivity 10X while saving us a lot of time. One of such tools is Cursor, an IDE powered by AI that’s transforming how developers write, debug, and optimize their code. Cursor combines artificial intelligence with the standard features of an IDE to help you easily debug your code, provide smart code autocompletion, and offer many other features that can boost your productivity.

Cursor is forked/built from VSCode, one of the most popular IDEs among developers. And it retains not only the familiar user-friendly interface, but large ecosystem of VS Code extensions as well. This foundation means that those already familiar with VSCode will find it relatively easy to transition to Cursor.

Cursor offers lots of benefits for developers looking to code more efficiently. Its AI-driven code completion helps cut down on syntax errors and speeds up coding by predicting what you might type next. It provides suggestions based on a wide range of coding best practices, tailored to each developers needs.

Besides code completion, Cursor features an AI-enhanced debugging tool. This tool not only points out errors but also guides you on how to fix them, saving you time and effort on debugging. If you work on big projects, you'll appreciate how well Cursor can handle complex code structures.

Nonetheless, like any new tech, Cursor has its hiccups. There’s a chance developers might rely too much on AI suggestions, which could mean they understand their code less deeply. This can be a problem if the AI suggests something that's not quite right, leaving developers unsure of how to solve issues on their own.

Privacy and security are important considerations too. Cursor doesn't directly use a large language model of your choice; it routes your code through its own server before sending it to services like Anthropic (Claude) or OpenAI (GPT). This means you have to trust their server's security. Thankfully, there haven't been any known data breaches with Cursor so far. Plus, in Cursor you can enable a "Privacy Mode" if privacy is a big concern for you. This would make sure that none of your data is stored or shared. Which is a really nice touch!

So, let's jump straight to it! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, this guide will walk you through setting up Cursor, core ways to use it, and some nifty tips to help you get the most out of it.

1. Getting started with Cursor AI is fairly easy. You can download the installation file for Linux, Windows, or macOS for free from their website – 

To install on Windows or macOS, just download it from their homepage and run it as you would any other program.

2. Once it's installed and launched, you'll see the following configuration screen:

You'll then be asked if you want to import extensions and settings from VSCode on your PC. And if you already have VSCode installed, I highly recommend to do so.

As we mention in our introduction– Cursor was designed with privacy and security in mind. During the set up process, you will be presented with the options in the screenshot below. Here you see a brief run-down of data is collected, along with an option to enable "Privacy Mode.”

A minor note for readers who have already visited Cursor’s website and are wondering if privacy mode works the same across all tiers – Free, Pro, and Business. The answer is yes. Privacy mode remains the same even when switching plans.

Next, you'll need to sign up to use Cursor's AI features. You can do this on their website, or through a popup in the IDE. Don’t worry about breaking the bank at this point; their fairly generous free tier lasts for 2 weeks and gives you 2,000 completions. No billing info is needed to use the feature, so you can follow along with the tutorial without spending a penny. And by the end of this article, you'll hopefully have an idea of which plan is right for you.

For those who are not ready to start the free trial, you can skip signing up for now (there's a button in the bottom right corner) and get back to it once you're ready. Until you sign up, Cursor will work like regular VSCode, just without the AI features.

If you’ve already decided to become a Pro subscriber, I also want to share a couple of notes about the 2 bullet points you can see on Cursor’s pricing page under the Pro plan:

Does this mean your Cursor editor will always be slow? Not at all. Most of the time, it will be quick. But during busy times ("rush hours") it might slow down. To help with this, Cursor gives you 500 "fast" premium requests a month to speed things up when traffic is heavy.

That’s it. As we can see, the installation process was fairly simple. Now, let's move on to the practical stuff!

In this section, we’ll go over an important setting in Cursor called 

. This feature can really boost your coding experience by letting you customize how the AI assists you. With a few adjustments, you can make the AI write code in your preferred style.

Here are some use cases where "Rules for AI" can come in handy:

Setting up Rules for AI is really easy. Go to the 

 tab. There, you’ll find options to create rules of your choice. Adjust these to fit your own or your team's needs, and you’re all set!

As your projects change, you can tweak these rules to ensure the AI continues helping you in the best way possible.

 if you want. For now, we’ll focus on the basics. More advanced 

Now, let's dive into some of Cursor’s most useful and popular features - beginning with the basics and moving towards the more complicated stuff. We'll gradually make our way through the main features, providing a thorough explanation of everything you need to know about each one, beginning with Tab Autocompletion!

We'll cover four main tab functionalities: Tab, Multi-Line Edits, Smart Rewrites, and Cursor Prediction, along with some additional notes.

. The "Tab" feature makes writing code much simpler. As you type, Cursor suggests ways to finish your code efficiently. If you see a suggestion that fits, just hit the Tab key. This speeds up coding by reducing the number of keystrokes and helps you concentrate on the bigger tasks at hand.

 This lets you change multiple lines of code at once. If you need to update a function name throughout your code, you can do it all in one go. It reduces time spent on repetitive tasks, making your workflow smoother and more efficient.

 This changes how you interact with code by letting you use both natural language and informal pseudo-code. If you describe what you need in plain English or outline some rough pseudo-code, Cursor is designed to recognize your intent and translate it into functional code. This not only speeds up coding tasks but also makes programming more accessible. Whether you're new to coding or an expert building solutions quickly, Smart Rewrites can turn your ideas into code efficiently.

 After you accept an auto-complete suggestion, Cursor Prediction anticipates where you'll likely be working next in your code, and moves the cursor there automatically. This reduces the need for manual adjustments and helps you maintain a smooth coding flow.

 By now you might wonder, “How does Cursor know how to predict my code?” Well, that’s because Cursor uses both, file-specific and project-specific contexts to provide relevant code suggestions. This enables Cursor to offer features such as multi-line code suggestions, smart rewrites, and context-aware chat assistance.

Moreover, by using comments, you can enhance this context even further. By adding comments in plain language about what you're trying to accomplish, you can help Cursor better understand your intentions. This makes auto-completions more accurate, and more customized to your needs. Plus, depending on your taste, comments can help to keep your code clear and easy to follow.

. Here’s how to tell if Cursor is suggesting adding new code or editing existing code. It’s simple! If a suggestion looks like it’s continuing your code, you’re adding new code (left side example). If you see a box next to what you're updating, it means you’re editing your code (right side example). That’s it!

Let's dive into another powerful part of Cursor: the Chat feature. It allows you to interact with an AI that understands your codebase deeply. By having a conversation with your code, you can make your coding process smoother and better. We'll look at major key things the chat can do and explain how they work.

Let's start with an overview of the Chat. To open the chat window, just use the 

 shortcut. The chat window is more flexible than the Tab Autocompletion because it not only helps generate code but also lets you ask questions. Here's a quick look at the chat interface:

Next let’s cover different elements and functionalities of the chat:

 The chat feature lets you communicate directly with an AI that, by default, analyzes your current file and cursor position. You can also provide additional, manually-selected files to the context, giving you precise control over which files/components you want to use. Use the 

 button to add extra files (see image above). You can ask questions like "Is there a bug here?" to receive immediate feedback. To further enrich the context of your conversation, highlight specific blocks of code using 

. Also, you can directly reference your other code to make your conversations more context-aware by using the 

 symbol in the input field, Cursor immediately suggests what type of data you can add to the context: files, entire folders, previous Git commits (you need to be signed in), etc. This ensures the chat understands exactly which parts of your code you're trying to add to the current discussion's context.

 Need general insights into your codebase? Use 

 to ask questions, and Cursor will search through your codebase to find relevant information. This feature gets into your entire project, offering precise answers based on the specific context of your query. What's really cool about this feature is that it can help you with more than just writing and debugging your code – you can also use it to find stuff in your codebase. For example, when working on a large project, if you forget where a file/component is located, you can simply describe it, and the AI will help you find it quickly!

If the response includes filenames, functions, etc., highlighted in blue, you can click on them like hyperlinks to go straight to the file/source.

. When the chat provides code suggestions, you can easily apply these changes to your codebase. Simply click the 

 button on top of any chat code block to apply the suggested edits directly. This is a big help, saving you a lot of time on copying and pasting. It also lets you ensure that you're pasting upcoming suggestions correctly. After that, simply accept or reject the changes in your code.

. Another great thing about Cursor’s chat is that it supports multimodal capabilities, allowing you to add not only use text but also add images to your chat. To do this, click the image button below the chat or drag an image directly into the input box. This can help with tasks where visuals are important for extra clarity. But there's one small warning: current AI models are not that great at image-to-code transformations yet, so don't expect perfect results. It can provide some general ideas about potential implementation, though. Also, avoid using overly complex images, as they might confuse the AI, which will definitely not help you with getting the desired results.

To add an image, you can simply drag and drop it into your chat or click the 

 button to select it manually. Then, just explain what you're planning to do with it. For example, you might copy & paste ChatGPT’s homepage screenshot and ask your chat to build it for you.

. For questions beyond the scope of your codebase, you can use 

 to search for additional information from the internet (like StackOverflow, but without having to tab out of your IDE). Cursor will search for the latest information online and will answer your questions with newly found context.

There are a couple of ways to use this feature. For a broad search, you can simply use 

 and explain what you want. However, for more specific results, there is one useful trick: after providing a 

 tag, also add a webpage that might contain an answer to your question. It can be documentation, a forum, or whatever else you might want. This way, Cursor will prioritize information from your link over other domains, giving you flexible control over the search and more personalized results.

For example, you can ask how to install some UI components in your project using official documentation. For that, all you need to do is tag it as a web search and provide a link that contains the solution – 

@Web @https://ui.shadcn.com/docs/components/popover

. After that, you can simply ask for a help.

. Cursor also makes it really easy to debug code. If you have any errors, just hover your mouse over it, which will trigger a modal window. This window will show a list of all current errors as well as an 

 button. Clicking this button will allow you to start the debugging process right in your chat, providing an explanation of what is going on as well as a potential solution. And after that you can simply use the good old 

 button in your chat to instantly apply all the fixes.

Congratulations on successfully going through the core features of Cursor! Whether you're using Tab Autocompletion to speed up your writing or chatting with the AI for smart code suggestions, Cursor will greatly improve your development workflow. However, let's not forget that we have only covered the most popular and widely used features so far, which you will use most of the time in your day-to-day development life.

, where we will dig deeper and discover new outstanding features (e.g., Composer) and advanced tips for power users. See you soon!

  - Provide code or a detailed explanation immediately when asked for a fix or explanation.

  - Avoid high-level, abstract responses.

  - Maintain a casual and terse tone unless specified otherwise.

  - Respect the user's code formatting preferences.

  - Treat the user as an expert in their field.

  - Prioritize clear, accurate, and thorough answers.

  - Discuss safety issues only when crucial and non-obvious.

  - If restricted by content policy, provide the nearest compliant response and explain the restriction afterward.

  - If needed, split responses to manage information flow efficiently.

  - For code revisions, add only the necessary lines to your response.

  - Plan step-by-step in detailed pseudocode before coding.

  - Ensure code is correct, up-to-date, bug-free, functional, secure, and efficient.

  - Prioritize readability and user requirements; ensure no component is missing.

  - Verify code completeness with all necessary imports and appropriately named components.

  - Acknowledge when there may not be a clear answer.

  - Admit when you do not know the answer, avoiding guesses.

AUTHOR

Maksym Mitusov

CONTRIBUTOR

Zao Yang

Welcome to our opening article about Cursor (AI IDE). In this article, we would cover all the basic and core knowledge that you need to know about it. And which you would be using most of the time. We’ll do it in depth, without cutting any corners! And in our next article, we'll get into even more…

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