Cursor
codingby anysphere
The AI code editor and unified agent workspace built on VS Code that turns natural language into working software across your entire codebase.
Key features
Free tier available, Pro at $20/mo
Developers who want an AI-powered editor that feels like VS Code but with deep, native AI capabilities at every step
Built on VS Code, so extensions, themes, keybindings, and muscle memory carry over with zero learning curve.
What it does
Agent Mode (Composer 2.5)
Give Cursor a task in natural language and it plans the approach, writes code across multiple files, runs terminal commands, takes screenshots, and iterates until the task is complete. Composer 2.5 is Cursor's own model built on the open source Kimi K2.5 checkpoint from Moonshot AI, trained with reinforcement learning and synthetic data for agentic coding.
Learn moreTab Autocomplete
A proprietary model trained with reinforcement learning that predicts your next action with striking speed. Goes beyond single line completions to suggest multi-line edits, cross-file jumps, and refactors.
Learn moreCodebase Indexing
A custom embedding model indexes your entire codebase for best-in-class semantic search and recall, even on large monorepos.
Learn moreSubagents
Multiple agents run in parallel, each using the best model for its task. Explore, plan, and build simultaneously across different parts of your codebase.
Multi-model Support
Choose between every cutting edge model from Anthropic (Claude Opus 4.8, Claude 4.6 Sonnet), OpenAI (GPT-5.5, GPT-5.3 Codex), Google (Gemini 3.1 Pro, Gemini 3.5 Flash), xAI (Grok Build 0.1), and Cursor's own Composer 2.5.
Rules and Context
Teach Cursor your team's conventions, architectural decisions, and coding standards through rules files that scope to specific directories or file patterns.
MCP Support
Connect external tools and data sources like GitHub, Figma, Notion, and databases directly to Cursor through the Model Context Protocol.
Plugins and Skills
Browse and install from hundreds of plugins on the Cursor Marketplace for new capabilities. Define custom skills as reusable prompts and workflows triggered with slash commands.
Automations
Always on background agents that monitor your codebase and act continuously without manual triggering. Automations run in the background, watching for changes and executing predefined workflows automatically.
JetBrains ACP Support
Cursor's Agent Communication Protocol (ACP) extends its AI agent capabilities to JetBrains IDEs, letting developers use Cursor's agent without leaving IntelliJ, WebStorm, PyCharm, or other JetBrains editors.
MCP Apps
Streamlined MCP integrations packaged as installable apps. MCP Apps simplify connecting external tools and services to Cursor, reducing configuration overhead for common integrations.
Terminal Integration
Run shell commands directly from the agent: builds, tests, installs, and git operations. Sandboxed by default for safety.
Bugbot (PR Review)
An add-on that reviews pull requests on GitHub, catches logic bugs, and offers one-click fixes directly in Cursor or on the web.
Cursor Review
A dedicated code review experience for pull requests. A Pull Request Inbox collects every PR that needs your attention, a Pull Request Page shows the review and suggested changes in one place, and a Merge Queue helps batch and land approved changes safely. A Cursor Review CLI brings the same review workflow to the command line.
Cloud Agents
Run long-running agents in the cloud from your browser or phone. Start a task on mobile and review the results when you are back at your desk.
Git and Checkpoints
Visual timeline of every change with the ability to roll back to any previous checkpoint. See how your code has evolved and restore any snapshot instantly.
Inline Editing (Cmd+K)
Highlight code and describe the change you want. Cursor rewrites the selected code inline without leaving your editing flow.
Integrations
Native integrations with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Linear, Jira, GitHub, GitLab, JetBrains, and Xcode. Cursor can review PRs in GitHub, respond to mentions in Slack, pick up Jira work items, and sync with issue trackers.
Pricing
Hobby
Try Cursor for free with strict limits. Limited Agent requests, limited Tab completions, and no credit card required. Useful for evaluation, not for daily development.
- No credit card required
- Limited Agent requests
- Limited Tab completions
- Full VS Code compatibility
Pro
The core plan for individual developers. Includes $20 of API usage per month, generous Auto and Composer usage, unlimited Tab completions, cloud agents, and access to all frontier models.
- Extended limits on Agent
- $20 of API usage per month
- Generous Auto + Composer usage
- Unlimited Tab completions
- Access to all frontier models
- MCPs, skills, and hooks
- Cloud Agents
- Bugbot on usage-based billing
Pro+
More capacity for daily agent users. Includes $70 of API usage per month plus generous Auto and Composer usage.
- Everything in Pro
- $70 of API usage per month
- Generous Auto + Composer usage
- Higher rate limits
Ultra
Maximum capacity for agent power users. Includes $400 of API usage per month plus generous Auto and Composer usage.
- Everything in Pro
- $400 of API usage per month
- Generous Auto + Composer usage
- Highest rate limits
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Built on VS Code, so extensions, themes, keybindings, and muscle memory carry over with zero learning curve.
- Multi-model support lets you choose the best AI model for each task: Claude for reasoning, GPT for speed, Gemini for large context.
- Tab autocomplete is exceptionally fast and accurate, trained with reinforcement learning on real-world coding scenarios.
- Agent mode handles complex multi-file tasks autonomously: planning, coding, running tests, and iterating until done.
- Trusted by over half the Fortune 500 including Stripe, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Figma, and Salesforce (90% developer adoption at Salesforce).
- Subagents run in parallel with different models, dramatically accelerating complex tasks that involve multiple parts of the codebase.
- Rapid innovation pace with major releases every few weeks. Cursor 3 (unified agent workspace), Composer 2.5, automations, Jira integration, and shared canvases all shipped in the first half of 2026.
Cons
- Primarily tied to the Cursor editor. JetBrains support now exists via ACP, but unlike CLI agents, you still cannot use it inside your preferred terminal or Vim setup.
- Usage limits on agent requests can be frustrating. Pro users may hit rate limits during extended coding sessions.
- Pricing adds up quickly at the team level. At $40 per user per month, a 20 person team pays $800 monthly before the Enterprise tier.
- Codebase indexing on very large monorepos can take significant time on the initial setup, though subsequent queries are fast.
- As a VS Code fork, it can lag behind upstream VS Code updates and occasionally has compatibility issues with certain extensions.
How to get started
Download Cursor
Visit cursor.com and download the installer for your platform (macOS, Windows, or Linux). The editor installs like any desktop application.
Import your VS Code setup
On first launch, Cursor offers to import your VS Code extensions, themes, keybindings, and settings. Accept the migration to carry over your entire setup.
Sign up and choose a plan
Create a Cursor account. The free Hobby tier includes limited Agent requests and limited Tab completions. Most developers will want the $20/month Pro plan, which includes $20 of API usage, generous Auto and Composer usage, unlimited Tab completions, and cloud agents.
Open your project and let indexing complete
Open your project folder in Cursor. The editor automatically indexes your codebase using a custom embedding model. Once complete, the agent has full semantic understanding of your project.
Try Tab autocomplete
Start typing in any file. Cursor's Tab model suggests completions inline. Press Tab to accept. It handles multi-line edits, cross-file navigation, and context-aware suggestions automatically.
Use Agent mode for bigger tasks
Open the Composer panel (Cmd+I or Ctrl+I) and describe a task in natural language: "Add authentication to the API routes" or "Refactor the database layer to use Prisma." The agent plans, codes, and verifies the result.
Set up rules for your team
Create a .cursor/rules directory with markdown files that teach Cursor your conventions. Rules can scope to specific directories or file patterns, ensuring consistent AI behavior across the team.
Deep dive
Detailed guides with comparisons, tips, and visuals for each feature.
Agent Mode (Composer 2.5)
How Cursor's autonomous agent plans tasks, writes code across files, runs commands, and iterates until the job is done.
Tab Autocomplete
Cursor's proprietary autocomplete model trained with reinforcement learning for next-action prediction.
Codebase Indexing and Context
How Cursor indexes your entire codebase for semantic search, @-mentions, and deep code understanding.
Cursor vs Claude Code vs GitHub Copilot vs OpenAI Codex
How Cursor compares to other AI coding tools across approach, pricing, autonomy, and capabilities.
Funding, Traction, and Roadmap
Cursor's meteoric growth from MIT research project to $29.3B valuation, $2B+ annualized revenue, and a reported Series E at $50B.
Links
Documentation
Pricing
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Last updated: 2026-06-02