Cursor Review
Rating: 9/10
Cursor is a powerful AI-first code editor built as a fork of VS Code, designed to accelerate software development. It deeply integrates advanced language models like Claude 3.5 Sonnet and GPT-4o directly into the IDE, allowing developers to generate, refactor, and debug code seamlessly. Because it retains full compatibility with the VS Code ecosystem, users can keep all their existing extensions, themes, and keybindings while gaining native AI capabilities. The standout feature of Cursor is its codebase-wide understanding, which allows the AI to answer complex architectural questions and suggest multi-file edits. Features like Copilot++ offer intelligent, multi-line autocomplete that predicts your next move, drastically reducing boilerplate typing. Whether you are building web applications or complex backend systems, Cursor acts as an expert pair programmer right at your fingertips.
Pros
- Seamless VS Code migration
- Deep codebase indexing
- Excellent multi-line autocomplete
- Supports Claude 3.5 and GPT-4o
Cons
- Requires coding knowledge
- Pro plan required for best models
- Can consume high local resources
Verdict
Cursor is the ultimate tool for developers who want to supercharge their coding speed without abandoning the familiar VS Code ecosystem. It excels at codebase-wide refactoring and intelligent autocomplete, making it ideal for both solo engineers and fast-moving teams. However, non-technical users looking for a drag-and-drop no-code app builder should look elsewhere, as Cursor still requires writing and understanding code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Cursor build an app from scratch with AI assistance?
Yes, you can open an empty folder, describe the app you want, and Composer will scaffold the project, write all the code, and tell you how to run it.
Does Cursor work with any language?
Cursor supports a wide range of programming languages, with optimal performance for JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and Go. It can assist with most file-based structured languages.
Is the Composer agent safe to run terminal commands?
It asks for permission before running any command, and you can review the command in a diff view. You're always in control.
How does Cursor compare to GitHub Copilot?
Cursor's Composer is an AI agent capable of building entire features, unlike GitHub Copilot which primarily offers autocomplete. Cursor provides deeper project understanding, functioning more like a junior developer.
Can I use Cursor on a large codebase?
Yes. It indexes your entire project and can answer questions about architecture, find bugs across files, and refactor large swaths of code.