What is Cursor AI?

// January 26, 2025

Cursor AI represents a fundamental shift in how developers interact with code. Built on top of VS Code, it embeds AI capabilities directly into the editing experience, making coding faster, easier, and more enjoyable.

Why Cursor Matters

Traditional IDEs are tools. Cursor is a collaborative partner. Here's what makes it different:

AI-native from day one — Not an AI plugin bolted on, but designed around AI collaboration
Context awareness — Understands your entire codebase, not just the current file
Agent mode — Can plan and execute multi-file refactoring tasks
Privacy focused — Your code stays local or with your explicit permission

Core Features

1. Intelligent Autocomplete

Cursor's autocomplete goes beyond predicting the next token. It understands your coding patterns and suggests entire blocks of code that match your intent.

2. Chat Interface

Aside panel chat that has full context of your project. Ask questions, get explanations, or request changes — all without leaving your editor.

3. Agent Mode

Tell Cursor what you want to build, and it will:

Plan the necessary changes
Create and modify files
Run tests
Iterate until done

4. Apply Changes

Select a code block and ask Cursor to modify it. It understands the context and makes changes that respect the surrounding code.

Pricing

Cursor offers a generous free tier, with Pro at $20/month for teams and serious individual developers.

Getting Started

Download from cursor.sh
Import your VS Code settings
Connect your AI provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, or local models)

My Experience

Cursor has become my primary editor for AI-assisted development. The agent mode alone saves hours of boilerplate work. It's not perfect — you still need to review AI-generated code — but it's a massive productivity boost.

Related:

Claude Skills: The Complete Guide — Extend Claude's capabilities
Claude Cowork: The Complete Setup Guide — Desktop AI agent setup

VIEW_TOOLS — Explore more AI development tools