Cursor IDE: The AI-First Code Editor That Replaced My VS Code

Cursor IDE: The AI-First Code Editor That Replaced My VS Code

Cursor is a code editor built on top of VS Code that puts AI assistance at the center of the editing experience. Unlike bolted-on extensions like GitHub Copilot, Cursor's AI features are integrated into the editor's core -- context-aware chat, multi-file editing, codebase-wide understanding, and an agent mode that can execute multi-step tasks autonomously.

This guide covers what Cursor actually does well, where it falls short, and how to get the most out of it if you decide to switch.

What Cursor Is (and Isn't)

Cursor is a fork of VS Code. That means every VS Code extension, theme, keybinding, and setting works in Cursor. Your settings.json transfers directly. If you open Cursor for the first time, it will feel identical to VS Code -- until you start using the AI features.

What Cursor is NOT: a completely new editor. It inherits VS Code's architecture, Electron runtime, and extension ecosystem. If VS Code feels sluggish on your machine, Cursor will too. The advantage is purely in the AI integration layer.

Core Features Worth Using

Tab Completion (Copilot++)

Cursor's tab completion goes beyond single-line suggestions. It predicts multi-line edits based on your recent changes. If you just renamed a variable in one place, Tab will suggest the same rename in the next occurrence. If you changed a function signature, it anticipates the call site updates.

This is contextually smarter than standard Copilot completions because Cursor tracks your recent editing patterns, not just the current cursor position.

Tip: In Settings, set the completion model to the fastest available option. Tab completions need to feel instant. A 500ms delay breaks your flow more than a slightly worse suggestion.

Inline Edit (Cmd+K / Ctrl+K)

Select code, press Cmd+K (or Ctrl+K on Linux/Windows), and describe what you want changed. Cursor shows a diff preview that you can accept or reject.

// Select this function, press Cmd+K, type "add input validation and error handling"
function processOrder(items, userId) {
  const total = items.reduce((sum, item) => sum + item.price, 0);
  return createOrder(userId, items, total);
}

The inline edit handles single-function refactors, adding error handling, converting between patterns (callbacks to async/await), and similar localized changes well. It struggles with changes that require understanding code outside the visible selection.

Chat Panel (Cmd+L / Ctrl+L)

The chat panel is Cursor's most powerful feature. Unlike a standalone ChatGPT window, Cursor's chat has access to your entire codebase as context.

Adding context explicitly: Use @ mentions to pull in specific files, folders, or documentation:

• @file:src/auth/login.ts -- reference a specific file
• @folder:src/api -- reference an entire directory
• @docs -- reference indexed documentation
• @web -- search the web for current information
• @codebase -- search across your entire project

Practical example: Instead of "how do I add authentication?", try "looking at @file:src/middleware/auth.ts and @file:src/routes/api.ts, add JWT refresh token rotation to the existing auth middleware."

The more specific your context references, the better the output. Vague questions get vague answers.

Agent Mode (Cmd+I / Ctrl+I)

Agent mode lets Cursor autonomously execute multi-step tasks: creating files, running terminal commands, editing multiple files, and iterating based on errors. Think of it as pair programming where the AI drives.

Good use cases for agent mode:

• "Add a new API endpoint for user preferences with validation, tests, and route registration"
• "Refactor the database layer to use connection pooling"
• "Fix the failing test in auth.test.ts by tracing the actual error"

Agent mode works best when you give it a clear objective and let it figure out the steps. It will ask for permission before running terminal commands.

Warning: Agent mode can make a mess if given vague instructions on a large codebase. Start with well-scoped tasks. Review every change before accepting.

Model Selection

Cursor supports multiple AI models. Here is practical guidance on which to use:

For daily coding, Claude 3.5 Sonnet hits the best balance of quality and speed. Use GPT-4o when you need quick answers. Save the Opus-class models for genuinely difficult problems where getting the answer right matters more than speed.

Configuration Tips

.cursorrules

Create a .cursorrules file in your project root to give Cursor project-specific context. This gets injected into every AI interaction.

# .cursorrules
You are working on a TypeScript monorepo using Bun as the runtime.
- Use Bun APIs (Bun.serve, Bun.file) instead of Node equivalents
- Follow conventional commits for any suggested git operations
- Use Biome for formatting, not Prettier
- Tests use bun:test, not Jest or Vitest
- Prefer explicit types over inference for function signatures

This file eliminates repetitive instructions. Without it, you will constantly correct the AI for suggesting npm install instead of bun add, or Jest instead of your actual test framework.

Privacy Settings

Cursor sends your code to AI providers for processing. Review the privacy settings:

• Privacy Mode: Prevents Cursor from storing your code on their servers for training. Enable this for proprietary codebases.
• Codebase indexing: Creates a local index for better @codebase searches. The index stays local. Worth enabling for any project you actively develop.

Go to Settings > Cursor > Privacy to configure these.

Keybindings Worth Memorizing

Cursor vs VS Code + Copilot

The honest comparison:

Cursor wins at: Multi-file edits, codebase-aware chat, agent mode, inline edit previews, .cursorrules project context, model choice flexibility.

VS Code + Copilot wins at: Stability (Cursor occasionally lags on large files), enterprise compliance (Microsoft backing), tighter GitHub integration, no additional cost if you already pay for Copilot.

The real decision factor: If you frequently ask AI to make changes across multiple files, refactor code, or explain unfamiliar codebases, Cursor's integrated approach saves significant time over copy-pasting between VS Code and a chat window. If you mostly use AI for single-line completions, the difference is marginal.

Cursor vs Other AI Editors

Windsurf (Codeium): Similar concept to Cursor but with a different AI backend. Windsurf's "Cascade" feature is comparable to Cursor's agent mode. Windsurf tends to be more aggressive with suggestions. Try both for a week and see which workflow fits you.

Zed + AI: Zed is a native editor (not Electron) with AI features. Faster than Cursor for pure editing, but the AI integration is less mature. If editor performance matters more than AI quality, consider Zed.

Claude Code (CLI): A terminal-based AI coding tool. Complementary to Cursor rather than a replacement. Use Claude Code for repo-wide analysis and scripting tasks; use Cursor for interactive editing.

Common Pitfalls

Over-relying on agent mode: Agent mode is powerful but not a replacement for understanding your code. If you accept changes you do not understand, you accumulate technical debt faster than the AI can generate it.

Ignoring the context window: AI models have limited context. If you dump your entire codebase into chat, the model loses focus. Be selective with @ references. Three relevant files beat thirty irrelevant ones.

Not using .cursorrules: Without project-specific rules, Cursor defaults to generic suggestions. Spending 10 minutes writing a good .cursorrules file saves hours of correcting wrong assumptions.

Expecting perfection: Cursor generates code that is about 80% correct 80% of the time. That is a massive productivity boost -- but you still need to read, understand, and test every change. The developers who get the most value from AI tools are the ones who review critically, not the ones who accept blindly.

Getting Started

1. Download from cursor.com
2. Import your VS Code settings when prompted (or skip for a clean start)
3. Create a .cursorrules file in your project
4. Start with inline edit (Cmd+K) on small tasks to build trust
5. Graduate to chat and agent mode as you understand the tool's strengths

Cursor is not magic. It is a very good autocomplete engine with codebase awareness. Set your expectations accordingly and it will genuinely make you faster.