Cursor

Overview

Cursor is a next-generation AI code editor developed by Anysphere, widely regarded as a top-tier AI-native IDE. It is deeply customized on top of VS Code and integrates the most advanced AI models; its core feature, Composer 2, is an agent that can run autonomously and process multiple tasks in parallel. The 3.3 update in May 2026 further strengthened capabilities such as agents auto-installing dependencies and autonomous debugging, with support for mainstream languages including Python, Java, C#, and JavaScript.

Core features: AI-native editor, Composer agent, multi-task parallelism, agent automation.

Installation

Download the installer for your platform from the official site. Cursor is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Because it is built on the VS Code core, you can one-click import your existing VS Code extensions, keybindings, and settings after installation.

# Download links
# Official site: https://www.cursor.com
# Download page: https://www.cursor.com/download

# Windows: download the .exe installer and run it
# macOS:   download the .dmg and drag it into Applications
# Linux:   download the .AppImage or .deb

# On first launch you'll be prompted to import VS Code settings—one click to migrate

Cursor offers a free tier (limited requests) and a Pro subscription (~$20/month); the higher Pro tier is priced higher.

Basic Usage

Cursor's core interactions are Cmd/Ctrl+K for inline edits, Cmd/Ctrl+L for the chat panel, and Composer (Cmd/Ctrl+I) for multi-file agents. Composer can edit multiple files at once, run terminal commands autonomously, and install dependencies, making it ideal for large refactors and new feature development.

# Common shortcuts
Cmd/Ctrl + K    # Inline AI edit: generate/modify selected code
Cmd/Ctrl + L    # Open the chat panel to ask questions or explain code
Cmd/Ctrl + I    # Launch the Composer agent (multi-file editing)

# Example Composer instruction
"Build a complete blog system with an article list, detail page, and Markdown editor"

# Reference context with @
"Based on the stack in @package.json, add a feature to export to PDF"

In Composer you can toggle on "Agent mode" to let it run commands, install dependencies, and fix errors autonomously.

Tips

A well-crafted .cursorrules project rules file makes the AI follow your code conventions; referencing files, docs, or web pages with @ as context significantly improves generation quality; Composer's Agent mode runs tests and lint automatically, so use it on a clean Git state for easy rollback. Tab completion predicts multi-line edits based on context—press Tab to accept.

# Create a rules file in the project root
echo "You are a TypeScript expert. Prefer a functional style and never use any." > .cursorrules

# Reference external docs as context
"Refactor this component following the latest patterns in @https://react.dev/learn"

# Choose a model in settings
# Settings → Models → pick Claude / GPT, etc.

Tip: Composer Agent mode burns through tokens quickly; for complex tasks, work in steps and review the diff frequently.

Configuration

Cursor is configured via the Settings panel and a project-level .cursorrules file. Settings -> Models lets you pick models (Claude, GPT, etc.) and toggle Privacy Mode, which ensures your code is not used for training. A .cursorrules file in the project root defines coding conventions the agent follows. Composer's Agent mode controls whether it can run commands and install dependencies autonomously.

# Project rules (project root)
# .cursorrules
You are a TypeScript expert. Prefer a functional style and never use any.
All public functions must have JSDoc.

# Privacy mode
# Settings -> Cursor Settings -> Privacy Mode -> enable
# (code is not used for training)

# Model selection
# Settings -> Models -> pick Claude / GPT, etc.

# Composer Agent mode
# Cmd/Ctrl+I -> toggle "Agent mode" on/off
# Agent mode can run terminal commands and install dependencies

# Reference context with @
"Based on the stack in @package.json, add PDF export"

Turn on Privacy Mode for sensitive codebases; keep .cursorrules concise so the agent follows it reliably.

FAQ

Common questions cover pricing tiers, BYOK, .cursorrules behavior, Privacy Mode, and model selection. Cursor offers a free tier with limited requests and a Pro subscription; Privacy Mode prevents code from being used for training. Composer Agent mode burns tokens quickly, so work in steps and review diffs.

Q: Is there a free tier?
A: Yes—Cursor has a free tier with limited requests; Pro (~$20/month)
   raises the limits and adds faster models.

Q: Can I use my own API key (BYOK)?
A: Cursor primarily uses its own subscription quota; check Settings -> Models
   for the current BYOK options per provider.

Q: What does .cursorrules do?
A: It is a project-level instructions file the agent reads on every task,
   covering code style, conventions, and constraints.

Q: Does Cursor train on my code?
A: Enable Privacy Mode in Settings to prevent your code from being used
   for training.

Q: How do I cut token costs?
A: Work in small steps, review diffs often, and avoid long autonomous
   Agent loops on the most expensive models.

Composer Agent mode burns through tokens quickly; review the diff frequently.