Cursor

Cursor is an AI-powered integrated development environment (IDE) that combines the familiar interface of Visual Studio Code with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities. Think of it as your regular code editor supercharged with a smart AI assistant that understands your entire project.

The tool uses large language models like GPT-4, Claude, and custom models to provide intelligent code suggestions, generate code from natural language descriptions, and help you understand complex codebases through simple questions. What makes Cursor special is its deep integration with your project - it doesn't just suggest the next line of code, it understands the context of your entire application and can make smart edits across multiple files.

Founded by Anysphere in 2022, Cursor has quickly become popular among developers at companies like Samsung, Shopify, and Perplexity because it makes coding feel like having a conversation with an expert programmer who knows your project perfectly.

Getting started with Cursor is straightforward. First, download the editor from cursor.com and install it on your computer (works on Windows, Mac, and Linux). The interface looks exactly like VS Code, so if you're familiar with it, you'll feel right at home. You can import your existing VS Code settings and extensions too.

Here's how to get the most out of Cursor:

• Use Tab for intelligent autocomplete that suggests entire code blocks, not just single lines

• Press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows) to generate new code by typing what you want in plain English

• Highlight code and press Cmd+K to edit existing code with natural language instructions

• Use Cmd+L to chat with your codebase and ask questions about how things work

• Try Composer for multi-file editing and complex refactoring tasks

• Enable Agent mode for hands-off coding where Cursor can work independently

The AI works best when you're specific about what you want. Instead of saying "make this better," try "add error handling for network requests" or "convert this to use async/await."

• AI-powered Tab autocomplete with project context

• Natural language code generation and editing

• Codebase-wide chat and Q&A functionality

• Multi-file editing with Composer tool

• Agent mode for autonomous coding tasks

• Support for GPT-4, Claude, and custom AI models

• Privacy mode for secure coding

• VS Code compatibility with all extensions

• Smart debugging and error detection

• Multi-platform support (Windows, Mac, Linux)