Ultimate Cursor AI Code Editor Enhanced Cheatsheet

1. Install Cursor

   • Download: Visit cursor.so and download the latest version suitable for your OS.
   • Installation: Follow the on-screen instructions to install Cursor on your machine.

2. Create an Account

   • Sign Up: Register for a free account on the Cursor website.
   • Verify Email: Complete the email verification process to activate your account.

3. Open a Project

   • File Navigation: Click on File > Open Folder.
   • Select Folder: Choose the project directory you wish to work on.

4. Start Coding

   • AI Assistance: Begin typing your code and experience real-time AI-assisted suggestions and completions.
   • Explore Features: Familiarize yourself with core features like AI Chat Assistant and Smart Code Search.

Choose the plan that best fits your needs:

Plan	Features	Price
Free Tier	Basic AI code completion Limited usage	$0/month
Pro Plan	All Free features Unlimited AI model usage Priority support	$20/month
Enterprise Plan	All Pro features Advanced team collaboration Custom integrations	$40/month

1. Visualize Your Project

• Tools: Utilize Figma, Paint, or even hand-drawn sketches to conceptualize your project.
• Layout: Create rough wireframes to outline the structure and flow.
• Features: Define the main features and functionalities you aim to implement.

2. Choose Your Tech Stack

• Selection: Decide on the technologies that best suit your project (e.g., NextJS, React, Python).
• Documentation: Gather and bookmark necessary documentation links for reference.

3. Initialize Cursor Rules

• Visit: Go to cursor.directory for a variety of prompts.
• Create File: In your project root, create a cursor.rules file.
• Paste Prompts: Insert relevant prompts to customize Cursor's behavior to your needs.

4. Add Documentation to Cursor

1. Click on the "Add" button.
2. Select "Docs" from the dropdown.
3. Add URLs linking to your tech stack's documentation.

Benefit: Enhances Cursor's understanding and accuracy in providing code suggestions.

1. AI Code Completion (Cursor Tab)

Usage: Begin typing your code, and press Tab to auto-complete.

# Start typing:
def calculate_average(

# Press Tab to complete:
def calculate_average(numbers):
    return sum(numbers) / len(numbers)
                    

Pro Tips:

• Comments & Pseudocode: Write comments or pseudocode, then use Tab to generate full functions.
• Data Manipulation: Provide sample end result structures to guide Cursor's suggestions.

2. AI Chat Assistant (Cursor Chat)

Shortcut:

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + L
• Mac: Cmd + L

Best Practices:

• @Codebase: Reference your entire project.
• @FileName: Include specific files for targeted assistance.
• Specific Queries: Ask clear and specific questions about your code.
• @Docs & @web: Incorporate external documentation or examples for more context.

Example Interaction:

Human: @Codebase Explain the authentication flow in our app

AI: Based on your codebase, your authentication flow works as follows:
1. User enters credentials in LoginComponent
2. AuthService.login() sends a POST request to /api/login
3. Server validates credentials and returns a JWT token
4. Token is stored in localStorage
5. AuthGuard checks for token presence on protected routes
                    

3. AI Command Execution (Cursor Cmd K)

Shortcut:

• Mac: Cmd + K
• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + K

Use Cases:

• Generate New Code: "Create a React component for a user profile card."
• Modify Existing Code: "Refactor this function to use async/await instead of promises."
• Code Inquiries: "What's the time complexity of this sorting algorithm?"

4. Multi-File Editing (Cursor Composer)

Shortcut:

• Mac: Cmd + Shift + L
• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + L

Best Practices:

• Detailed Descriptions: Clearly describe the desired functionality.
• Include Relevant Files: Provide necessary files in your prompt for context.
• Review Generated Code: Always verify and understand the code Cursor generates.

Pro Tips:

• Apply Changes: Use "Apply" then Cmd + Shift + S (Save All) to test changes before accepting.
• Reset Composer: Use Cmd + R to start fresh if needed.

5. Image-to-Code Generation

Steps:

1. Capture Design: Take a screenshot of your UI design.
2. Paste Image: Insert the image into Cursor.
3. Describe Output: Specify the desired output and data sources.
4. Refine Code: Review and adjust the generated code for accuracy.

Example: Converting a UI mockup to React components with Tailwind CSS.

6. Smart Code Search

Steps:

1. Open Sidebar: Access the search sidebar in Cursor.
2. Enter Query: Type your query related to the codebase.
3. Execute Search: Press Ctrl + Enter to initiate the search.
4. Review Results: Browse through the results showing relevant file locations.

Example: "Where in my codebase does the CCK token get set?"

1. Model Selection

• Experiment: Try different AI models like Claude or GPT-4 to determine which suits your needs best.
• Note: Currently, GPT-4 is the only model capable of executing scripts within Cursor.

2. Handling Large Files

Strategy: For files exceeding 500 lines, manually copy/paste code snippets as Cursor may struggle to scan extensive files efficiently.

3. Project Generation

• Use Composer: Utilize the Composer feature to generate starter projects.
• Experimentation: Test various prompts and models to achieve optimal results for your project setup.

4. Custom Templates

• Create Starter Kits: Develop your own templates with commonly used features like authentication and database setups.
• Time-Saving: Use these templates as a foundation for new projects to accelerate development.

1. Installing Dependencies

• Open Terminal: Access your project's terminal.
• Navigate: Move to your project directory with cd your-project-directory.
• Install Packages:
  • Run npm install to install all necessary dependencies.
  • For React projects, run npm install react-scripts if not already included.

2. Launching the Application

• Ensure Directory: Confirm you're in the correct project directory.
• Start Server: Execute npm start to launch the application.
• Access Application: Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000.

Enhance your coding efficiency with real-time updates:

1. Edit Code: Make changes directly in the Cursor AI editor.
2. Save Changes: Press Cmd + S (Mac) or Ctrl + S (Windows/Linux) to save.
3. View Updates: Instantly see changes reflected in your browser without manual refreshes.

1. Iterative Development

• Start Small: Begin with basic feature implementations.
• Refine Continuously: Expand and enhance features through multiple AI interactions.

2. Code Review

• Always Review: Examine AI-generated code for accuracy and efficiency.
• Manual Adjustments: Modify code as necessary to meet project standards.

3. Context Management

• New Sessions: Initiate fresh chat sessions for complex changes.
• Clear Explanations: Provide detailed context and desired outcomes.

4. File Tagging

• Specific Targeting: Tag particular files to guide Cursor in making relevant changes.
• Enhanced Understanding: Helps AI grasp the context and scope of modifications.

5. Refactoring

• Clean Code: Use AI to suggest improvements and cleaner code structures.
• Function Focus: Break down large functions into smaller, more manageable ones.

6. UI Development

• Prototyping: Utilize image-to-code for swift UI prototypes.
• Production-Ready: Refine and optimize generated code for deployment.

7. Learning Opportunity

• Analyze Code: Study AI-generated code to learn new techniques and practices.
• Experiment: Try different ways to articulate your needs for varied outcomes.

8. Continuous Documentation

• Explain Code: Regularly ask Cursor to explain code snippets and add comments.
• Maintain Clarity: Ensures your codebase remains clear and understandable as it grows.

1. Inconsistent AI Responses

Solution: Start a new chat session to refresh the context and obtain accurate responses.

2. Composer Errors

Action: Revert recent changes and use the Chat Assistant for more targeted modifications.

3. Incorrect Code Generation

Improvement:

• Provide more detailed instructions or context.
• Break down complex requests into smaller, manageable steps.

4. Cursor Gets Stuck

Steps:

1. Copy the problematic code or error message.
2. Paste it into another AI model (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT).
3. Include previous solutions that didn't work.
4. Request a new approach to resolving the issue.

5. Learning from Errors

• Opportunity: Use error messages as a chance to learn and improve.
• Ask for Help: Request Cursor to explain the error and suggest possible fixes.

• Maximize Productivity: Leverage Cursor's AI features to speed up coding and reduce errors.
• Stay Organized: Utilize planning and preparation strategies to maintain a clear development roadmap.
• Continuous Learning: Use AI-generated code as a learning tool to enhance your coding skills.
• Best Practices: Adopt iterative development, thorough code reviews, and efficient context management for optimal results.
• Troubleshooting: Equip yourself with strategies to swiftly resolve common issues and maintain smooth workflow.