Cursor
Cursor
An easy-to-pick-up AI code editor; there is a free plan to try.
A code editor with a built-in AI agent: understands your codebase, plans, writes features, fixes bugs and reviews changes right in the editor.
Overview
Cursor is a code editor with a built-in AI agent that helps you understand a project, plan, build features, find bugs and review changes in a single interface. The agent searches the repo on its own, reads relevant files and presents edits as diffs for you to approve.
Cursor lets you choose among AI models from providers such as Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and Cursor's own models. Plan Mode researches the codebase, asks clarifying questions and drafts a plan before writing code, which suits large changes.
For an SME with a small engineering team, Cursor lets one developer get more done while keeping control over every changed line of code.
Highlights
Agent in the editor
Open the Agent to ask about the codebase, request changes and see results directly in diff view.
Plan Mode
Cursor researches the project, asks when something is unclear and waits for you to approve the plan before writing code.
Multiple AI models
Choose the model that fits your need; each has different context limits and costs.
Flexible customization
Add rules, skills, plugins and MCP so the agent works to your project's standards.
Team workflow integration
Connects to GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps, Bitbucket, Slack and Linear.
What it's for
Understanding a handed-over project
Ask the Agent to explain the entry point and main modules when taking over legacy code.
Building new features
Use Plan Mode for features touching many files, approve the plan, then let it write code.
Finding and fixing bugs
Reproduce the bug, narrow down the cause and verify the fix right in the editor.
Review before merging
View the diff, run checks and catch problems before merging.
How to use it
- 1
Download and install
Download Cursor from the official site. Supports macOS 12 or later, Windows 10 or later and Linux (apt, dnf/yum or AppImage).
- 2
Sign in
Open the app and sign in with a Cursor account. The free Hobby plan needs no credit card.
- 3
Open a project folder
Choose a code folder and start with a small task to get familiar.
- 4
Ask the Agent about the codebase
Open the Agent (Cmd I on macOS) and ask it to explain the structure, entry point and main modules.
- 5
Make your first change
Request a small edit, review the diff, then ask Cursor to run the project's tests, lint or build.
- 6
Use Plan Mode for big jobs
Press Shift+Tab in the Agent's input box to turn on Plan Mode before multi-file changes.
Video guides
Cursor Agent: 10 Pro Tips!
Cursor
Cursor: coding agents tutorial (2026)
leerob
Cursor 3.0 - Full Course for Beginners
Tech With Tim
Real-world example
A small software company in Ho Chi Minh City takes over maintenance of a spa booking system written by another party. The new developer opens the project in Cursor and asks the Agent to summarize the structure and the booking flow. When the customer asks for an email appointment-reminder feature, he turns on Plan Mode so Cursor proposes a plan across several files, approves it step by step, then runs the tests before sending the update. The time to get familiar with the old code is shortened considerably.
Tips & notes
Start with small tasks
Get used to how the Agent reads code and proposes diffs before handing over large features.
Always review the diff
Read every change and run tests before accepting, especially for payment-related code.
Write rules for the project
Save conventions for naming, libraries and folder structure so the agent does the right thing from the start.
Choose the model by task
Use a fast model for simple jobs and a stronger one for complex jobs to balance cost.
FAQ
Is Cursor free?
There is a free Hobby plan with a limited number of Agent requests. Individual paid plans start at 20 USD/month; the Teams plan is 40 USD/user/month.
How is Cursor different from Claude Code?
Cursor is a code editor with a graphical interface, while Claude Code is more of an agent that runs in the terminal and on several other surfaces. The two tools can be used together.
Which operating systems does Cursor run on?
macOS 12 or later (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows 10 or later and common Linux distributions.
Do I need to know programming?
Basic knowledge helps you read and approve changes. Beginners can still use it but need to check results carefully.
Useful links
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