What You'll Learn
What Is Cursor and Why Should You Care?
Cursor has rapidly emerged as one of the most powerful AI-native code editors available today. Unlike traditional IDEs with AI features bolted on, Cursor is built from the ground up to integrate artificial intelligence into every aspect of the coding experience. For builders in the Create With community, Cursor represents a significant leap forward in vibe coding — the practice of describing what you want to build and letting AI handle the implementation details.
The editor combines three distinct AI features: intelligent autocomplete that predicts entire code blocks, a conversational chat interface for asking questions about your codebase, and a composer mode that can generate and modify multiple files simultaneously. This makes it particularly valuable for rapid prototyping, learning new frameworks, and building functional applications without deep technical expertise.
Getting Started with Cursor
Setting up Cursor is straightforward. After downloading from the official website, you'll be guided through a setup wizard that imports your existing VS Code settings if you're migrating. This is crucial because Cursor is actually a fork of VS Code, meaning all your familiar extensions and keyboard shortcuts work exactly as before.
During setup, you'll need to sign in with Google or email to access the AI features. Cursor offers a free tier with limited AI requests, but most serious users opt for the $20/month Pro plan which provides 500 fast premium requests and unlimited slow premium requests. The key difference lies in response time and which underlying model you're using — GPT-4, Claude Sonnet, or other options.
One important setup consideration is configuring which files Cursor can access. The editor maintains awareness of your project structure, but you can explicitly include or exclude certain directories. This becomes important for larger codebases where you want to limit the context the AI considers.
The Three Pillars of Cursor's AI
Tab Autocomplete: AI That Reads Your Mind
The Tab feature is Cursor's most subtle yet powerful capability. As you type, the editor predicts not just the next word, but entire code blocks, function implementations, and even multiple lines of logic. Unlike basic autocomplete, this prediction is contextually aware of your entire project.
In practice, this means you might type a function name and parameter, press Tab, and watch Cursor generate the complete implementation based on similar patterns in your codebase. The predictions improve over time as the AI learns your coding style and project conventions. This feature alone can accelerate coding speed by 30-40% once you develop trust in the suggestions.
Chat Mode: Your AI Pair Programmer
Accessed via Cmd+L (or Ctrl+L on Windows), chat mode opens a sidebar conversation where you can ask questions about your code, request explanations, or ask for specific implementations. The AI has full awareness of the files you've opened and referenced, making its responses highly contextual.
The power of chat mode lies in its ability to reference specific code sections. You can highlight a function, open chat, and ask "Why isn't this working?" or "How can I optimize this?" The AI will provide explanations that reference your actual code, not generic examples. This makes it invaluable for debugging and learning.
A key technique is using the @ symbol to explicitly reference files or documentation. Typing @filename ensures the AI considers that specific file in its response, while @docs can pull in official documentation for frameworks you're using.
Composer Mode: Multi-File Magic
Composer mode (Cmd+I) is where Cursor truly differentiates itself from simpler AI coding tools. Instead of editing a single file, composer can create, modify, and coordinate changes across multiple files simultaneously. This is essential for real project work where changes ripple across components.
When you activate composer and describe a feature you want to build, Cursor analyzes your project structure and generates all the necessary files. For a Snake game demonstration, typing "create a snake game" resulted in Cursor generating the HTML structure, CSS styling, and JavaScript game logic across three properly linked files — a complete, functional application from a single prompt.
The composer interface shows a diff view of proposed changes before applying them, giving you control over what gets modified. You can accept all changes, reject specific ones, or iterate with follow-up prompts to refine the output.
Practical Workflow Strategies
Starting New Projects
For greenfield projects, composer mode shines. Begin by describing your project goals in natural language: "Build a task management app with drag-and-drop functionality and local storage persistence." Cursor will scaffold the entire project structure, often producing working code that you can immediately run and test.
The key is being specific about requirements upfront. Instead of "make a website," try "create a responsive portfolio website with a hero section, project grid, and contact form using vanilla JavaScript and CSS Grid." More detail yields better initial results.
Refactoring and Enhancement
When working with existing code, chat mode excels. Highlight problematic sections and ask for optimization suggestions, security improvements, or alternative implementations. The AI's ability to see surrounding context means it can suggest refactors that maintain consistency with your existing patterns.
For larger refactors affecting multiple files, composer mode can orchestrate the changes. Describe the architectural change you want, and Cursor will propose modifications across your codebase while maintaining internal consistency.
Learning and Documentation
Cursor serves as an exceptional learning tool. When encountering unfamiliar code or frameworks, highlight sections and ask for explanations in chat. The responses are tailored to your specific code, not generic tutorials, making them immediately applicable.
You can also request documentation generation. Select a function and ask Cursor to add JSDoc comments or write README sections explaining your code's purpose and usage.
Understanding Cursor's Limitations
While powerful, Cursor isn't infallible. The AI can generate code with bugs, particularly for complex logic or edge cases. Always review generated code and test thoroughly. The editor works best as an intelligent assistant, not an autonomous developer.
Token limits matter. Each AI request consumes tokens based on your codebase size and prompt complexity. Large projects or verbose prompts can quickly consume your monthly allocation on free or Pro plans. Learning to write concise, focused prompts maximizes your token efficiency.
Cursor's AI also reflects the biases and limitations of its underlying models. It performs best with popular languages and frameworks where training data is abundant. Obscure languages or cutting-edge frameworks may produce less reliable results.
Cursor vs Traditional Development
The workflow shift with Cursor is substantial. Traditional development involves extensive documentation reading, Stack Overflow searching, and manual implementation. Cursor collapses this into conversational prompts and automatic generation.
This doesn't eliminate the need for programming knowledge. Understanding code logic, architecture patterns, and best practices remains essential for evaluating and refining Cursor's output. The editor amplifies your existing skills rather than replacing them.
For the Create With community, Cursor represents a bridge between pure no-code tools and traditional programming. It enables vibe coding — expressing intent and letting AI handle syntax and boilerplate — while maintaining the flexibility and power of actual code.
Getting the Most from Cursor
Success with Cursor requires developing new habits. Start with clear, detailed prompts rather than vague requests. Reference specific files with @ symbols. Review generated code critically rather than accepting blindly.
Experiment with different AI models in the settings. Claude Sonnet often produces more conservative, bug-free code, while GPT-4 might be more creative with solutions. Switching models based on task type can improve results.
Integrate Cursor into your existing workflow gradually. Start with autocomplete, then add chat for questions, and finally leverage composer for larger features. This staged adoption builds trust and understanding of each feature's strengths.
The future of development increasingly looks like Cursor's approach — natural language intent translated into functional code by AI. Mastering tools like Cursor today positions you at the forefront of this shift, enabling faster building and broader capability regardless of your traditional coding background.
