Cursor AI Tutorial: The Ultimate Vibe Coding Editor Guide (2026)

If you’ve heard about vibe coding and want to experience it at its best, Cursor is where you should start. It’s the AI-first code editor that professional developers are adopting in droves—and for good reason.

I’ve been using Cursor as my primary editor for months now, and it’s genuinely changed how I write code. Instead of typing every line manually, I find myself having conversations with my editor, describing what I want and watching it appear. The productivity gains are real, and the learning curve is surprisingly gentle.

In this comprehensive tutorial, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about Cursor—from installation to advanced features that most users never discover. Whether you’re a VS Code veteran or completely new to AI coding tools, this guide will help you unlock Cursor’s full potential.

What Is Cursor AI?

Cursor is an AI-first integrated development environment (IDE) built on Visual Studio Code. Think of it as VS Code rebuilt from the ground up with AI capabilities at its core, rather than bolted on as an afterthought.

What makes Cursor different from simply adding GitHub Copilot to VS Code? The key distinction is deep integration. Cursor’s AI features are woven into every aspect of the editing experience:

Codebase awareness: Cursor understands your entire project, not just the current file
Multi-file editing: The AI can modify multiple files in a single operation
Native AI chat: Ask questions and get help without switching contexts
Proprietary AI model: Cursor develops its own models optimized for code

The result feels less like “VS Code with AI plugins” and more like a new paradigm for writing code—one where you describe intent and the editor handles implementation.

Who Is Cursor For?

Cursor works for developers at all skill levels, but it shines especially for:

Professional developers working on complex, multi-file projects
Teams who want AI assistance that understands their codebase patterns
Developers transitioning from tools like Copilot who want deeper AI integration
Anyone interested in vibe coding who wants a professional-grade tool

If you’re already comfortable with VS Code, the transition is seamless—your existing extensions, themes, and keybindings all work.

Getting Started: Installation and Setup

Let’s get you up and running with Cursor.

Step 1: Download and Install

Visit cursor.com
Download the version for your operating system (macOS, Windows, or Linux)
Run the installer

The installation process takes about a minute. When you first launch Cursor, it will ask if you want to import your VS Code settings—I recommend saying yes to preserve your familiar environment.

Step 2: Create an Account

Cursor requires an account for AI features. You can:

Create a new Cursor account
Sign in with GitHub
Sign in with Google

The free tier gives you limited AI queries, which is enough to explore and decide if the tool is right for you.

Step 3: Configure Your Preferences

After signing in, head to Settings (Cmd/Ctrl + ,) and look for the Cursor section. Key settings to consider:

AI Model Selection:

Choose your preferred AI model (Cursor’s own model, GPT-4, Claude, etc.)
Different models have different strengths; Cursor’s proprietary model is optimized for code

Tab Completion:

Enable “accepted prediction on Tab” for inline suggestions
Adjust suggestion delay if they appear too quickly or slowly

Privacy Settings:

Decide whether to allow codebase indexing (enables @codebase feature)
Review data handling preferences

Step 4: Index Your Codebase

For Cursor to truly understand your project, it needs to index your codebase. This happens automatically when you open a folder, but you can trigger it manually:

Open a project folder
Open the command palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
Search for “Cursor: Index Codebase”

Once indexed, Cursor can reference any file in your project when generating suggestions or answering questions.

Core Features Explained

Cursor has three main ways to interact with AI: Tab completion, AI Chat, and Composer. Let’s explore each.

Tab Completion: Inline AI Suggestions

Tab completion is the most seamless AI feature. As you type, Cursor predicts what you’re trying to write and offers suggestions in gray text. Press Tab to accept.

What makes Cursor’s Tab completion special:

Unlike basic autocomplete, Cursor’s suggestions understand context. It might suggest:

The entire rest of a function based on its name and parameters
Proper error handling patterns matching your codebase
Variable names that follow your project’s conventions
Complete implementations based on comments or docstrings

Tips for better Tab completions:

Write descriptive function names: calculateTotalPriceWithDiscount() gives Cursor more context than calc()
Add comments before complex logic: Describe what you want, then let Tab completion implement it
Start with structure: Write function signatures or class outlines first

Example workflow:

// Calculate the total price including tax and any applicable discounts
function calculateTotalPrice(items: CartItem[], taxRate: number, discountCode?: string): number {
  // Tab completion will likely generate the entire implementation
}

After writing the comment and function signature, pressing Tab often generates a correct implementation.

AI Chat (Cmd+L): Your Coding Companion

The AI Chat is Cursor’s conversational interface. Press Cmd+L (Mac) or Ctrl+L (Windows/Linux) to open it.

What you can do with AI Chat:

Ask questions about your code: “What does this function do?” with code selected
Request implementations: “Write a function that validates email addresses”
Debug issues: “Why is this throwing a null reference error?”
Get explanations: “Explain how this React hook works”
Refactor code: “Simplify this function” or “Convert to TypeScript”

How to use Chat effectively:

Select code first: Highlight relevant code before opening chat—this provides context
Be specific: “Add error handling for network failures” works better than “improve this”
Iterate: Follow up on responses to refine the output
Use @ symbols: Reference files, docs, or your codebase (covered in Advanced Features)

Example conversation:

You: (with a function selected) “This is throwing an error when the array is empty. Fix it.”

Cursor: Here’s the corrected version with empty array handling:

function getAverage(numbers) {
  if (!numbers || numbers.length === 0) {
    return 0; // or throw new Error('Array cannot be empty')
  }
  return numbers.reduce((sum, n) => sum + n, 0) / numbers.length;
}

Composer (Cmd+I): Multi-File Editing

Composer is Cursor’s most powerful feature. Press Cmd+I (Mac) or Ctrl+I (Windows/Linux) to open it.

What makes Composer different from Chat:

Multi-file awareness: Can edit multiple files in a single operation
Direct editing: Changes are made to your actual files (with accept/reject option)
Larger context: Better for complex, cross-cutting changes
Project understanding: References your full codebase automatically

When to use Composer:

Adding a new feature that touches multiple files
Refactoring code across your project
Implementing patterns consistently across files
Making architectural changes

Example Composer prompt:

“Add a dark mode toggle to the app. Create a ThemeContext, update the Header component with a toggle button, and modify the CSS to support both light and dark themes.”

Composer will:

Create a new ThemeContext file
Modify your Header component
Update CSS or Tailwind classes
Show you all proposed changes before applying

Reviewing Composer changes:

After Composer generates changes, you’ll see:

A diff view showing what will change
Options to accept all, reject all, or review individually
The ability to modify suggestions before accepting

Always review multi-file changes carefully—Composer is powerful but occasionally makes mistakes.

Advanced Features

These features separate power users from casual users.

@codebase: Reference Your Entire Project

The @codebase symbol tells Cursor to consider your entire project when responding. This is essential for contextual suggestions.

How to use it:

In Chat or Composer, type:

@codebase How do we handle authentication in this project?

Cursor will search your indexed files and provide an answer based on your actual implementation.

Best uses for @codebase:

Understanding unfamiliar code: “@codebase Explain the data flow in this app”
Consistent implementations: “@codebase Add error handling following our existing patterns”
Finding examples: “@codebase Show me how we use the logging utility”

@docs: Reference External Documentation

The @docs symbol lets Cursor reference official documentation for libraries you’re using.

How to use it:

@docs React Query How do I implement infinite scrolling?

Cursor will consult React Query’s documentation to provide accurate, up-to-date guidance.

Supported documentation:

Cursor supports many popular libraries out of the box. For others, you can add custom documentation sources in settings.

@file: Reference Specific Files

Use @file to point Cursor at specific files for context:

@file:src/utils/helpers.ts Add a new utility function for formatting currencies

This is useful when Chat or Composer isn’t automatically picking up relevant context.

Custom Rules with .cursorrules

Create a .cursorrules file in your project root to give Cursor persistent instructions about how to work with your codebase.

Example .cursorrules:

You are an expert React and TypeScript developer.

When writing code:
- Always use functional components with hooks
- Prefer TypeScript strict mode patterns
- Use Tailwind CSS for styling
- Follow the existing naming conventions in the project

When suggesting solutions:
- Prioritize readability over cleverness
- Include error handling
- Add JSDoc comments for public functions

These rules apply to all AI interactions in that project, ensuring consistency.

Notepads: Persistent Context

Notepads let you save context that persists across sessions. Create notes about:

Architecture decisions
Common patterns to follow
Project-specific terminology
Reference implementations

Access Notepads from the Cursor sidebar and reference them in prompts with @notepad.

Prompt Engineering for Cursor

Your results with Cursor depend heavily on how you communicate. Here are strategies I’ve developed:

Be Specific About What You Want

Too vague: “Make this better”

Effective: “Refactor this function to:

Use early returns for error cases
Add TypeScript types
Handle the edge case when the array is empty”

Provide Context Through Selection

Before opening Chat, select relevant code. Cursor will automatically include it as context.

Selection tips:

Include imports if they’re relevant
Select entire functions, not partial snippets
When debugging, include the error message

Use Multi-Turn Conversations

Don’t try to get everything in one prompt. Iterate:

“Generate a basic user authentication flow”
“Add password reset functionality”
“Include rate limiting for login attempts”
“Write tests for the authentication module”

Each step builds on the previous, and Cursor maintains context throughout the conversation.

Reference Examples

Use @codebase to point at existing patterns:

“Add a new API endpoint for orders, following the same pattern as @codebase src/api/users.ts”

This ensures consistency with your existing code style.

Tips and Best Practices

After months of daily Cursor use, here’s what I’ve learned:

Start with Structure, Then Fill Details

Instead of asking Cursor to generate an entire feature:

Have it create the file structure and interfaces
Implement core logic
Add edge case handling
Write tests

This produces more maintainable results than monolithic generations.

Review AI Output Critically

Cursor is impressive but not infallible. Common issues:

Deprecated API usage
Subtle logic errors
Security vulnerabilities (especially in auth code)
Over-engineered solutions

Always read through generated code before accepting.

Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these for efficiency:

Cmd+L: Open Chat
Cmd+I: Open Composer
Cmd+K: Inline editing
Tab: Accept completion
Escape: Dismiss suggestions

Leverage VS Code Familiarity

All your VS Code knowledge transfers:

Extensions work normally
Settings sync across machines
Terminal, Git, and debugging work identically

This means you can focus on learning AI features without relearning the basics.

Create Project-Specific Rules

Every project benefits from a .cursorrules file. Spend 10 minutes writing rules when you start a project—it saves hours later.

Cursor Pricing and Plans

Understanding what you get at each tier:

Free Plan

Limited AI queries per month
Access to basic Tab completion
Chat functionality
Good for evaluation and light use

Pro Plan ($20/month)

Unlimited AI queries
Access to latest AI models
Faster response times
@codebase and advanced features
Priority support

Business Plan ($40/user/month)

Everything in Pro
Team administration
Centralized billing
Enhanced privacy controls
SSO integration

My recommendation: Start free to evaluate, then upgrade to Pro if you’re coding daily. The productivity gains easily justify the cost for professional developers.

Cursor vs GitHub Copilot

Many developers ask how Cursor compares to GitHub Copilot:

Feature	Cursor	GitHub Copilot
Codebase awareness	✅ Full project	Limited
Multi-file editing	✅ Composer	Basic
Native chat	✅ Built-in	Plugin required
VS Code compatibility	✅ Full	✅ Full
Price	$20/month	$10-19/month

Cursor offers deeper AI integration; Copilot offers wider IDE support. Many developers use both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cursor free to use?

Cursor offers a free tier with limited AI queries. For serious development work, the Pro plan at $20/month provides unlimited access.

Does Cursor work with my VS Code extensions?

Yes. Cursor is built on VS Code, so virtually all extensions work. Your existing setup—themes, keybindings, extensions—transfers directly.

Is my code private when using Cursor?

Cursor offers privacy options. You can disable codebase indexing if needed. For teams with strict requirements, the Business plan includes enhanced privacy controls. Review their privacy policy for specifics.

Can I use Cursor without an account?

The editor itself works, but AI features require an account. This is necessary for managing API access and usage limits.

How does Cursor compare to Bolt.new or Replit?

Different use cases:

Cursor: Best for professional developers working in local environments
Bolt.new: Best for rapid prototyping and MVPs
Replit: Best for beginners and browser-based development

Cursor is the professional’s choice for serious, ongoing development work.

What AI models does Cursor use?

Cursor offers multiple models:

Their proprietary model (optimized for code)
GPT-4 / GPT-5
Claude models
You can switch between them in settings

Can I use Cursor for pair programming?

Yes, Cursor supports VS Code’s Live Share extension for real-time collaboration. The AI features work for all participants.

Conclusion

Cursor represents what I believe is the future of code editing. Instead of AI as an add-on, it’s AI as the foundation—deeply integrated into every interaction.

The learning curve is gentle for VS Code users, and the productivity gains are substantial. Features like Composer and @codebase aren’t just conveniences; they fundamentally change how you approach coding problems.

To get started:

Download Cursor from cursor.com
Import your VS Code settings
Open a project and let it index
Try Tab completion on your existing code
Open Chat (Cmd+L) and ask a question

Within an hour, you’ll understand why developers are making the switch. Cursor doesn’t just help you code faster—it changes what you can build.

Ready to take your vibe coding further? Check out our guides on other vibe coding tools and prompt engineering to maximize your AI development workflow.

Last updated: January 2026