What is Cursor?

Cursor is a VS Code fork with deep AI integration. Unlike Copilot, Cursor understands your entire codebase — not just the file you're editing. Use Cmd+K to edit code inline, Cmd+L to chat about your project, and Composer to build multi-file features from a single prompt.

Best prompting structure

Role
Composer prompt (Cmd+I)
Context
@codebase or @filename to reference specific files
Task
Build [feature] that does [specific behaviour]
Format
Create the files needed, update imports, and add comments
// Example prompt
@codebase I need to add a user authentication system. Use NextAuth.js with Google OAuth. Create the auth config, update the middleware, add a login page component, and protect the /dashboard route. Follow the existing code style in this project.

How to use Cursor — step by step

1

Download Cursor from cursor.sh — it looks exactly like VS Code

2

Open your project folder

3

Press Cmd+I (Mac) or Ctrl+I (Windows) to open Composer

4

Describe the feature you want to build in plain English

5

Review the changes in the diff view before accepting

Pro tips

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Use @filename to point Cursor at specific files in your prompt

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Cursor Rules (.cursorrules file) sets persistent coding style instructions

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For debugging: paste the error, then ask "what's causing this and fix it"

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Composer is for building features; Cmd+K is for quick inline edits