About Cursor
Introduction
Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on top of VS Code that deeply integrates large language models into every aspect of the coding workflow. In our testing, Cursor dramatically accelerated development speed — its intelligent code completion, inline editing, and codebase-aware chat made it feel like pair programming with an expert developer. It has quickly become one of the most popular AI coding tools among professional developers.
What is Cursor?
Cursor is a fork of Visual Studio Code that embeds AI capabilities directly into the editor experience. Unlike bolt-on AI extensions, Cursor is built from the ground up to make AI a first-class citizen in your development workflow. It understands your entire codebase, suggests contextually relevant code completions, can edit multiple files simultaneously, and lets you have natural language conversations about your code. It supports all VS Code extensions and themes, making the transition seamless for existing VS Code users.
How Cursor Works
Download Cursor from cursor.com and install it on your machine — it supports Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can import your VS Code settings, extensions, and themes with one click. Once your project is open, Cursor indexes your codebase to understand the full context. Press Cmd/Ctrl+K to get inline AI editing, Cmd/Ctrl+L to open the AI chat panel, or simply start typing to receive intelligent autocomplete suggestions. Cursor uses models like GPT-4 and Claude to generate, edit, and explain code with awareness of your entire project structure.
Key Features and Capabilities
- Codebase-Aware Chat: Ask questions about your code and get answers that reference specific files, functions, and patterns in your project.
- Intelligent Autocomplete (Tab): Multi-line code suggestions that understand your coding patterns and project context.
- Inline Editing (Cmd+K): Describe changes in natural language and Cursor edits your code in place with a clear diff view.
- Multi-File Editing: Make coordinated changes across multiple files in a single operation using the Composer feature.
- Codebase Indexing: Automatically indexes your project for deep contextual understanding.
- Multiple AI Models: Switch between GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, and other models based on your preference.
- VS Code Compatibility: Full support for VS Code extensions, themes, keybindings, and settings.
- Terminal Integration: AI-assisted terminal commands and debugging directly in the editor.
Who Can Benefit from Cursor?
Cursor is designed for software developers of all experience levels. Professional developers use it to accelerate their workflow and reduce time spent on boilerplate code. Full-stack developers appreciate multi-file editing for coordinated changes across frontend and backend. Junior developers leverage the chat feature to understand unfamiliar codebases and learn best practices. DevOps engineers use it for infrastructure-as-code and configuration management. Even non-developers building projects with AI assistance find Cursor's intuitive interface more accessible than traditional code editors.
Pricing and Plans
| Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby (Free) | $0/month | 2,000 code completions, 50 premium model requests, basic features |
| Pro | $20/month | Unlimited completions, 500 premium model requests/month, advanced features |
| Business | $40/user/month | Everything in Pro, centralized billing, admin dashboard, enforced privacy mode, team management |
Pros and Cons
What We Like
- Deep codebase understanding produces remarkably relevant suggestions and edits
- Composer feature enables powerful multi-file editing in a single operation
- Seamless migration from VS Code with full extension and settings compatibility
- Inline editing with diff preview makes AI-assisted changes transparent and safe
- Multiple model support lets you choose the best AI for different tasks
- Responsive and fast — AI features do not slow down the editor experience
Areas for Improvement
- Premium model request limits on Pro plan can be exhausted by heavy users
- Free tier is quite limited with only 50 premium requests
- Occasional large-scale edits can produce unexpected changes requiring careful review
- Privacy-conscious users may hesitate about code being sent to AI providers
Getting Started with Cursor
Download Cursor from cursor.com and install it on your machine. During setup, import your VS Code settings and extensions for a familiar environment. Open a project you are actively working on and try the inline edit feature (Cmd/Ctrl+K) — select some code and describe the change you want in plain English. We found this to be the quickest way to experience Cursor's power. The free Hobby plan gives you enough usage to evaluate whether the AI-enhanced workflow fits your development style.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Cursor just VS Code with an AI plugin?
A: No. While Cursor is built on the VS Code codebase, it is a deeply modified fork with AI integrated at the core level. This allows features like codebase indexing, multi-file Composer edits, and contextual autocomplete that go far beyond what a simple extension can achieve. In our testing, the integration felt significantly more seamless than any VS Code AI extension.
Q: Is my code safe when using Cursor?
A: Cursor offers a Privacy Mode that ensures your code is not stored or used for training. On the Business plan, privacy mode can be enforced organization-wide. Code is sent to AI providers for processing but is not retained. For highly sensitive codebases, review Cursor's security documentation and consider the Business plan's enhanced controls.