TL;DR: Cursor Tutorial

Setup: 5 minutes (download, import VS Code)
Learn basics: 30 minutes (autocomplete, chat, inline)
Master Composer: 1 hour (multi-file editing)
Speed boost: 60% faster coding
Cost: Free 50 requests or $20/month Pro

Most developers use 10% of Cursor's power.

Here's how to use all of it.

What Is Cursor?

Simple answer: VS Code with AI built in

Created: 2023 by Anysphere
Rating: 4.9/5 (best AI coding tool)
Users: 500K+ developers

Main features:
✓ AI autocomplete
✓ Chat with codebase
✓ Composer (multi-file editing)
✓ Model switching
✓ Rules files

Step 1: Download & Setup (5 Minutes)

Install Cursor

1. Download:

• Go to cursor.sh

• Click download (Mac/Windows/Linux)

• Install like any app

2. First launch:

• Looks exactly like VS Code

• This is intentional (it's a fork)

3. Import VS Code settings:

• Cursor auto-detects VS Code

• Click "Import Settings"

• All extensions transfer

4. Sign up:

• Email or GitHub

• Free tier: 50 requests/month

• Pro: $20/month unlimited

Done: Ready to code with AI

Step 2: Basic AI Features

Feature 1: AI Autocomplete (Tab)

How it works:
Type code → AI suggests → Press Tab → Accept

Example:

def calculate_average(
# AI suggests: numbers): return sum(numbers) / len(numbers)
# Press Tab to accept

Tips:
✓ Works across all languages
✓ Learns your coding style
✓ More context = better suggestions
✓ Can refuse bad suggestions (keep typing)

Feature 2: Chat Mode (Cmd+L)

Activate: Cmd/Ctrl + L

What it does:
Ask AI about your code

Common uses:

1. Select code → Cmd+L → "Explain this"
2. "How to optimize this function?"
3. "Debug this error: [paste error]

Chat understands:
✓ Your entire file
✓ Selected code
✓ Project structure
✓ Dependencies

Feature 3: Inline Edit (Cmd+K)

Activate: Cmd/Ctrl + K

What it does:
Modify code in place

Example workflow:

Use cases:
✓ Quick refactors
✓ Add error handling
✓ Convert sync to async
✓ Change variable names
✓ Add type hints

Step 3: Composer Mode (The Secret Weapon)

What Is Composer?

Activate: Cmd/Ctrl + I

The big deal:
Edits multiple files at once

Why it's powerful:
Other tools edit one file. Composer edits your whole app.

Composer Tutorial

Real example: Add authentication

Before Composer:
20+ files to edit manually, 2 hours

With Composer:
One prompt, 5 minutes

The workflow:

Time saved: 115 minutes

Composer Best Practices

Be specific:

Reference files:

Break big tasks:

Always review:
Composer is smart, not perfect. Check changes.

Step 4: Codebase Understanding

How Cursor Knows Your Code

Indexing:
Scans entire project on open

Context window:
Up to 100K tokens (huge)

What it knows:
✓ File structure
✓ Dependencies
✓ Function definitions
✓ Variable usage
✓ Import relationships

Using @ References

Syntax: Type @ in chat

Options:

Example:

Why powerful:
AI knows exactly what you're talking about

Step 5: Model Switching

Available Models

In Cursor:
✓ GPT-4 (default, best general)
✓ Claude 3.5 Sonnet (best reasoning)
✓ GPT-3.5 (faster, cheaper)
✓ Custom (bring your own)

Switch models:
Click model name bottom-right → Select

Which Model When?

GPT-4:
General coding, autocomplete, most tasks

Claude 3.5 Sonnet:
Complex refactors, architecture questions, explanations

GPT-3.5:
Simple tasks, save usage credits

Pro tip:
Start GPT-4, switch to Claude for hard problems

Step 6: Rules Files (.cursorrules)

What Are Rules?

File: .cursorrules in project root

Purpose:
Tell AI your preferences

Example .cursorrules:

Result:
Cursor follows these rules automatically

Step 7: Keyboard Shortcuts (Power User)

Essential Shortcuts

Cmd/Ctrl + L - Open chat
Cmd/Ctrl + K - Inline edit
Cmd/Ctrl + I - Composer mode
Tab - Accept autocomplete
Esc - Reject suggestion

Advanced Shortcuts

Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + L - Chat with selection
Cmd/Ctrl + / - Toggle AI suggestions
Cmd/Ctrl + . - Quick fix
Cmd/Ctrl + Space - Trigger autocomplete

Learn 5 shortcuts = 2x faster

Real Workflow Examples

Example 1: Debug Production Error

Scenario: App crashing, error in logs

Steps:

1. Copy error message
2. Cmd + L (open chat)
3. "This error appeared in production: [paste]
   Here's the relevant code: [paste function]

Time: 5 minutes (vs 30 minutes debugging)

Example 2: Add New Feature

Scenario: Add export to CSV feature

Steps:

Time: 10 minutes (vs 1 hour manual)

Example 3: Refactor Legacy Code

Scenario: Update old callback code to async/await

Steps:

Time: 2 minutes per function (vs 10 minutes)

Pro Tips & Tricks

Tip 1: Be conversational

Bad: "refactor"
Good: "This function is messy. Can you refactor it to be more readable? Use descriptive variable names and add comments."

Tip 2: Give context

Bad: "Fix this"
Good: "This authentication function sometimes returns undefined. Expected behavior: should return user object or throw error. Here's the user model: [paste]"

Tip 3: Iterate

First prompt: Get 80% solution
Follow-up: "Also add validation" / "Handle edge case where X"

Tip 4: Use Composer for big changes

Inline (Cmd+K): Single file, small changes
Composer (Cmd+I): Multiple files, features

Tip 5: Review everything

Cursor is smart but:
✗ Can introduce bugs
✗ Might miss edge cases
✗ May not understand business logic

Always:
✓ Read changes
✓ Test thoroughly
✓ Run existing tests

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue 1: Bad suggestions

Problem: AI suggests wrong code

Solution:
✓ Add more context in .cursorrules
✓ Be more specific in prompts
✓ Switch model (try Claude)
✓ Show examples of what you want

Issue 2: Hit usage limits (Free tier)

Problem: 50 requests/month not enough

Solution:
✓ Upgrade to Pro ($20/month)
✓ Use autocomplete more (doesn't count)
✓ Batch questions in one chat

Issue 3: Slow responses

Problem: AI taking long time

Solution:
✓ Smaller prompts
✓ Switch to GPT-3.5 (faster)
✓ Check internet connection
✓ Try again (sometimes server load)

Issue 4: Doesn't understand codebase

Problem: AI gives generic answers

Solution:
✓ Use @ references (@file, @folder)
✓ Provide more context
✓ Let it index (wait 30s after opening)
✓ Create .cursorrules file

Pricing Deep Dive

Free Tier

50 requests/month
Requests = Chat uses, Inline edits, Composer uses
Autocomplete = Unlimited (doesn't count)

Good for:
Trying Cursor, light usage

Not enough for:
Daily professional development

Pro ($20/month)

Unlimited requests
Access to all models
Priority support
Early features

Worth it if:
✓ Code daily
✓ 60% speed boost = hours saved
✓ $20 < your hourly rate

Math:
Save 1 hour/week = 4 hours/month
If you make $50/hour = $200 value
ROI = 10x

Business ($40/user/month)

Everything in Pro plus:
✓ Team management
✓ Usage analytics
✓ Priority support
✓ SOC 2 compliance

For:
Teams of 3+ developers

Cursor vs VS Code Extensions

Can I just add AI to VS Code?

Yes, but:

VS Code + Copilot:
✗ No Composer
✗ No codebase awareness
✗ No model switching
✗ Less powerful

Cursor:
✓ Everything integrated
✓ Built for AI-first
✓ Better UX
✓ More powerful

Verdict:
Cursor worth switching for serious AI coding

Success Stories

Developer A (Frontend)

Before Cursor:
2 weeks to build dashboard

With Cursor:
3 days same quality

ROI:
$20/month saved 44 hours

Developer B (Backend)

Before:
Full day debugging production issue

With Cursor:
15 minutes found and fixed

Quote:
"Composer mode is actual magic"

Startup C (Team)

Before:
5 developers, 3 months to MVP

With Cursor:
3 developers, 6 weeks to MVP

Cost savings:
2 fewer developers = $30K/month

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Cursor replace developers?

No. Makes developers faster. Still need human judgment.

Is it better than GitHub Copilot?

For multi-file editing: yes. For simple autocomplete: similar.

Can it write entire apps?

Yes, with Composer. But you guide it and review.

Does it work offline?

No. Needs internet for AI models.

What languages does it support?

All that VS Code supports. Best for: JavaScript, Python, TypeScript, Go, Rust.

Is my code sent to OpenAI?

Yes for AI features. Can opt out. Check privacy settings.

Can I use my own API key?

Not yet (Feb 2026). Coming soon.

Related Reading

• Cursor vs GitHub Copilot vs Claude Code: Which Wins?

• Best Vibe Coding Tools 2026: Complete Ranking

• Claude Code vs Cursor: Developer Comparison

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