Cursor: The AI Editor That Writes Code for You

Imagine typing “make a login page” and the editor writes the whole thing.

That’s Cursor.

It’s a code editor (like VS Code) with a powerful AI assistant built in. Not just auto-complete — full code writing, fixing, and project-wide changes.

What Makes Cursor Different

Most editors help you type faster. Cursor helps you think less about typing.

Feature	What It Does
Tab to accept	Cursor suggests whole lines or blocks. Press Tab. Done.
Chat with your code	Ask questions about any file. Cursor reads it and answers.
Multi-file edits	Change code across many files at once.
Fix errors	Paste an error message. Cursor finds and fixes it.
Write from scratch	Describe what you want. Cursor writes the code.

The Two Modes

Mode 1: Chat (Ask Questions)

Press Cmd + L (Mac) or Ctrl + L (Windows).

A chat box opens. You can ask anything:

"What does this function do?"
"Why is this line here?"
"How do I add a search box to this page?"

Cursor reads the file you’re looking at (and related files) and gives a clear answer.

Pro tip: Use @file to tell Cursor to look at a specific file:

"@file src/auth.js — how does the login work?"

Mode 2: Composer (Multi-File Changes)

Press Cmd + I (Mac) or Ctrl + I (Windows).

This is the big one. Composer can change many files at once.

Example:

"Add user profiles to this app:
- New profile page
- Edit profile form
- Save changes to the database
- Add a link in the navigation"

Cursor will:

Look at your whole project
Plan what files to change
Show you a preview of all changes
Apply them when you say yes

One prompt. Four files changed. 30 seconds.

Real Examples

Example 1: Fix a Bug

You see this error:

TypeError: Cannot read property 'name' of undefined
    at UserCard.render (UserCard.jsx:23)

Copy the error. Paste into Cursor Chat:

"This error keeps happening. What's wrong and how do 
I fix it?"

Cursor finds the bug, explains it in plain English, and shows the fixed code.

Example 2: Add a Feature

"Add a dark mode toggle to this React app. Use 
Context API. Save the choice in localStorage."

Cursor writes:

A new ThemeContext file
A toggle button component
Updates to your main app file
CSS changes for dark mode

All in one go.

Example 3: Refactor Old Code

"This file is 400 lines and hard to read. Split it 
into smaller files, one for each feature."

Cursor:

Reads the big file
Identifies the logical parts
Creates new files
Updates all the imports
Keeps everything working

Key Shortcuts

Shortcut	What It Does
Tab	Accept AI suggestion
Cmd + L	Open Chat
Cmd + I	Open Composer
Cmd + K	Edit selected code inline
@file	Reference a specific file
@code	Reference specific code

Set Rules for Your Project

Create a .cursorrules file in your project folder. Cursor follows these rules automatically.

Example:

- Use TypeScript. No "any" types.
- Use functional components (not classes).
- Keep functions under 40 lines.
- Add error handling to every API call.
- Use async/await, not .then() chains.

Now every code Cursor writes follows your style.

Cursor vs. Other Tools

Tool	Best For	Cost
Cursor	Writing and fixing code across files	Free tier / $20/month
GitHub Copilot	Auto-complete while typing	$10/month
Claude Code	Command-line coding assistant	$20/month (Claude Pro)
VS Code + AI plugin	Basic suggestions	Free

Best combo: Cursor for big changes, Copilot for daily typing.

When Cursor Gets It Wrong

Cursor is smart but not perfect:

Problem	Fix
Suggests code that doesn’t exist in your project	Use `@file` to give it context
Changes too many files	Ask it to “show me the plan first”
Doesn’t understand your business logic	Explain the context in your prompt
Writes code that looks right but has bugs	Always test after big changes

Rule: For big changes, review everything before you commit.

Try It Right Now

Download Cursor: cursor.com
Open a project you’re working on
Press Cmd + L and ask: “What does this project do?”
Press Cmd + I and ask: “Add a simple feature”
Watch it work

Free to try. $20/month if you love it.

This guide is part of our How-To series. We test every tool before we write about it.