Cursor
The AI-first code editor designed to pair-program with you.
We tested Cursor extensively and found it to be the most evolved AI-native editor on the market. It’s not just a plugin; the integration of AI into the core workflow feels fluid. The ability to index the entire codebase gives it a distinct advantage over standard copilots.
Why we love it
- Context awareness is superior; it understands dependencies across files.
- Seamless migration from VS Code preserves your extensions and themes.
- Composer feature handles multi-file refactoring impressively.
Things to know
- The Agent mode allows terminal command execution, which can be dangerous if unsupervised (verify commands!).
- Frequent updates often require restarting the editor.
- Can sometimes generate verbose code that requires pruning.
About
Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on top of VS Code. It integrates powerful LLMs like Claude 3.5 Sonnet and GPT-4o directly into the IDE, allowing for codebase-aware chat, inline code generation (Cmd+K), and seamless migration from VS Code. It’s designed to understand your entire project context, making refactoring and bug fixing significantly faster.
Key Features
- ✓Codebase-wide Context Indexing
- ✓Composer (Multi-file Edits)
- ✓Privacy Mode (Local Code)
- ✓VS Code Extension Support
- ✓One-click Migration
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Cursor offers a Hobby plan for free. For advanced features and higher usage limits, a Pro subscription is available at $20/month.
Yes, since Cursor is a fork of VS Code, it supports importing your extensions, themes, and keybindings with one click.
Yes, Cursor includes a Privacy Mode where none of your code is stored on their servers or used for training. Local processing options are available.
Yes, the AI Agent can execute terminal commands to fix errors or install packages. However, we strongly recommend reviewing commands before approving execution to prevent accidental data loss.
Cursor indexes your local codebase to calculate embeddings. This allows the AI to understand project-wide definitions and dependencies, providing answers based on your specific architecture.