Cursor AI reached 1 million users and 360,000 paying customers in just 16 months, making it the fastest-growing AI code editor of 2026. Unlike VS Code with add-on extensions, Cursor is built from the ground up for AI-first development, offering proprietary models, multi-file editing from single prompts, and context windows up to 272k tokens. This guide teaches you how to install Cursor, master its core features, and code 2-3x faster using best practices from developers shipping real projects.
What Makes Cursor Different
Cursor is a complete fork of Visual Studio Code with AI integrated into its core architecture, not bolted on as extensions. This matters because extension-based AI tools operate within API constraints, while Cursor optimizes everything for AI performance. The result: inline completions appear in 150-200ms versus 300-400ms for GitHub Copilot, and Cursor handles coordinated edits across multiple files from a single prompt—something extension-based solutions struggle with.
The architecture supports ~99% of VS Code extensions, so your existing tools work. Themes, keybindings, and settings import automatically during setup. You get the VS Code foundation you know, enhanced with semantic codebase indexing, 272k token context windows, and per-task model selection across GPT-4, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Gemini.
Installation Takes 5 Minutes
Visit cursor.com and download the installer for your platform. On Windows, run the .exe file and follow the wizard. On macOS, open the .dmg and drag Cursor to Applications. On Linux, download the .AppImage, install FUSE libraries with sudo apt install libfuse2, make it executable, and run it.
After installation, sign in or create an account—required for AI features. Cursor prompts you to import VS Code extensions, themes, and keybindings. Accept this to migrate your setup. When Cursor opens, it begins indexing your codebase, creating semantic embeddings the AI uses to understand your project structure.
Core Features: From Simple to Powerful
AI Chat: Ask Anything About Your Code
The simplest feature is the most accessible. Open AI Chat and ask questions about your codebase. “Explain what auth.ts does and how it handles logout edge cases” returns a detailed walkthrough. “How do I add error handling to this function?” suggests specific patterns. Chat maintains conversation context, so follow-up questions build on previous answers. It’s how you navigate unfamiliar code and learn patterns fast.
Tab Completion: Fastest in the Industry
Cursor’s tab completion is powered by Supermaven, averaging 150-200ms latency—significantly faster than alternatives. Start typing a function and Cursor suggests multi-line completions based on surrounding context and your full codebase. The speed difference matters. Completions feel instant rather than lagging behind your thought process, maintaining flow instead of breaking it.
Composer Mode: Multi-File Edits From One Prompt
This is Cursor’s most powerful feature. Composer handles coordinated changes across multiple files from a single instruction. Example: you ask Cursor to refactor an API endpoint to use async/await. Composer updates route definitions, controller logic, test files, documentation, and all affected call sites simultaneously—generating coordinated diffs that maintain consistency across the codebase.
The trick is being specific. “Refactor /api/users endpoint to use async/await, following the pattern in /api/auth” works better than vague requests. Composer succeeds when it has clear goals and reference examples. This is where Cursor delivers 2-3x productivity gains—tasks that would take an hour of careful manual editing across files complete in minutes.
Plan Mode: AI Builds the Plan With You
Plan Mode shifts from immediate execution to structured planning. Ask Cursor to plan a feature—say, OAuth authentication. It crawls your project, reads documentation and configuration rules, asks clarifying questions about your requirements, then generates an editable Markdown plan with file paths, code references, and a to-do list.
You review the plan, adjust steps, then execute. This prevents “vibe coding”—accepting AI-generated code without review—by forcing intentional development. The plan becomes a shared reference for teams and catches architectural mistakes before code generation.
Best Practices: How Experts Use Cursor
Writing specific prompts dramatically improves results. Compare “add tests for auth.ts” with “Write a test case for auth.ts covering the logout edge case, using the patterns in __tests__/ and avoiding mocks.” The second prompt gives Cursor concrete goals, reference patterns, and constraints. According to Cursor’s best practices guide, agent success rate improves significantly with specific instructions.
Review AI-generated code carefully. Code can look right while being subtly wrong—type mismatches, edge case failures, security gaps. The faster Cursor generates code, the more important your review process becomes. Use test-driven development: write tests first, generate code, run tests, iterate until they pass.
Use @-references in prompts. Type @ to fuzzy-match files or directories in your project, then drop them into prompts. “Update @src/api/users.ts to match the pattern in @src/api/auth.ts” gives Cursor explicit context. About 80% of effective Composer prompts include @-references.
Start simple and iterate. Don’t try to generate entire features in one prompt. Break tasks into smaller, verifiable steps. Generate a function, review it, test it, then move to the next piece. This catches mistakes early and keeps you in control of the codebase architecture.
When Cursor Excels (And When It Doesn’t)
Cursor is fastest for prototyping, refactoring large codebases, and navigating unfamiliar projects. Salesforce deployed it to 20,000 developers and achieved 30%+ faster velocity. A Singapore startup reduced prototype development from 3 months to 6 weeks. The tool shines in rapid iteration cycles and greenfield projects where architectural decisions aren’t locked in.
Consider alternatives for strict enterprise compliance needs—GitHub Copilot has more transparent SOC 2 and ISO documentation. If you’ve heavily customized VS Code with complex extension workflows, verify compatibility before switching. But for most developers, especially those building new projects or prototyping features, Cursor delivers measurable productivity gains.
Next Steps
Install Cursor, import your VS Code setup, and start with Chat to ask questions about your current project. Once comfortable, try tab completion and inline edits. Graduate to Composer when you need coordinated multi-file changes. Use Plan Mode when starting features that touch multiple parts of your codebase.
The key is intentional use: specific prompts, careful review, test-driven development. Cursor amplifies good development practices and exposes bad ones. Learn more in the official best practices guide, explore features documentation, and see how experienced developers use it at Builder.io’s tips article.
