How to Use Cursor AI: The Developer's Guide to 2026's Best Code Editor

Updated June 2026 · 8 min read

Cursor is the AI-native code editor that has become the tool of choice for over 500,000 developers. Built on VS Code, it understands your entire codebase. This guide covers setup to advanced agent mode.

💰 Pricing

Free tier with limited completions. Pro at $20/month for unlimited AI usage. Business plan for teams.

🚀 How to Get Started

Download Cursor

Go to cursor.sh and download the installer for your OS. Cursor is built on VS Code — your existing VS Code settings and extensions can be imported.

Import VS Code settings

On first launch, Cursor offers to import your VS Code configuration. Accept this — it brings over your theme, extensions, and keybindings.

Open your project

File > Open Folder and select your project. Cursor indexes your entire codebase — this is what enables cross-file awareness.

Use Cmd/Ctrl+K for quick edits

Select code, press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows), and describe what you want. 'Add error handling to this function' or 'Refactor this to use async/await'.

Use Composer for large tasks

Cmd+Shift+I opens Composer — Cursor's agent mode. Describe a feature or task in natural language. Cursor plans the changes, shows you a diff, and you approve. For large refactors and new features.

💡 Pro Tips

Reference files with @ In Composer, type @ to reference specific files. '@auth.js fix the session timeout logic' is more precise than describing the file manually.

Use the chat for questions Cmd+L opens Chat — ask questions about your codebase without making changes. 'How does authentication work in this project?' is a great first question in a new repo.

Review diffs before accepting Always review Cursor's proposed changes before accepting, especially for large Composer tasks. The preview diff shows exactly what will change.

❓ FAQ

Is Cursor free?

Free tier has limited completions. Pro at $20/month gives unlimited usage. Most professional developers find Pro worth it after the first week.

Do I need to know how to code to use Cursor?

Some coding knowledge is required — Cursor assists development, it doesn't replace it. For complete beginners, start with the AI coding tools guide.

How is Cursor different from GitHub Copilot?

Cursor has full codebase awareness and a more powerful agent mode. Copilot is better integrated into existing editor workflows without switching. See our coding tools comparison.

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