Key takeaways
- Cursor is a standalone AI-first code editor forked from VS Code, with AI autocomplete, chat, inline edits and an agent.
- Install it from cursor.com; it can import your VS Code settings, extensions and keybindings.
- Cursor is not an extension inside VS Code; you switch editors and keep a familiar interface.
- Learn four things first: Tab completions, inline edit, chat with codebase context, and the agent with rules files.
- Speed gains are real for boilerplate and refactors but depend on reviewing, testing and good project context.
Cursor is an AI-first code editor built as a fork of VS Code: it looks and works like VS Code, but adds deeply integrated AI features, such as multi-line autocomplete, chat that understands your whole codebase, inline edits and an agent that can change many files and run commands. This page covers what it is, installing it on any system including Ubuntu, how it relates to VS Code, a beginner tutorial and everyday use, changing themes, how it compares with GitHub Copilot and Windsurf, and what to make of big productivity claims.
What is the Cursor AI code editor?
Cursor is a desktop code editor from Anysphere that integrates AI throughout the editing experience. Because it is built on VS Code's open-source core, most VS Code extensions, themes and shortcuts work, so the switch feels familiar.
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Its main features: Tab, which predicts multi-line edits as you type; inline edit, which changes selected code from a natural-language instruction; chat that can reference files, symbols, docs and the whole codebase; and an agent mode that plans and makes multi-file changes, runs terminal commands and fixes errors. You can choose among several AI models. Project rules files let you set coding standards the AI should follow.
How do I install the Cursor AI code editor?
Download the installer for Windows, macOS or Linux from cursor.com, run it, sign in or create an account, and choose whether to import your VS Code settings and extensions during setup.
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After installing, open a project folder and let Cursor index the codebase, which improves the context available to chat and the agent. Review privacy settings, especially for company code: Cursor has a privacy mode that limits how code is stored. Free and paid plans differ in usage allowances and model access; check the current pricing page. Keep the editor updated, since features change quickly.
How do I install Cursor on Ubuntu?
Download the Linux build from cursor.com, which is offered as a package or AppImage, then install the package with your package manager or make the AppImage executable and run it. Create a desktop entry if you want it in your applications menu.
For an AppImage, the usual steps are: download it, run chmod +x on the file, then launch it; some systems need the FUSE library installed for AppImages. If a package format is offered for your distribution, installing it handles menu entries and updates more neatly. Check Cursor's documentation for the current Linux instructions, as packaging options have changed over time.
How do I use Cursor AI in VS Code?
You cannot install Cursor inside VS Code; Cursor is a separate editor based on VS Code. Instead, install Cursor and import your VS Code extensions, settings and keybindings, so it feels like VS Code with AI built in.
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If you prefer staying in VS Code, use AI extensions there instead, such as GitHub Copilot or other assistants. Some developers keep both editors: VS Code for certain workflows and Cursor for AI-heavy work. Projects open the same way in both, since they share the same file-based workspace model. Make sure your Git setup, formatters and linters are configured in whichever editor you use.
Is there a Cursor tutorial for beginners?
Yes. Cursor's documentation has getting-started guides, and a good beginner path is to practise each core feature on a small project for a day.
A beginner plan:
- Day 1: open a small project, accept and reject Tab suggestions while writing a function.
- Day 2: select code and use inline edit, such as "add input validation and error handling".
- Day 3: ask chat questions with file references, such as "how does auth work in this project?".
- Day 4: use the agent for a small feature with tests, reviewing each change.
- Day 5: add a project rules file with your conventions and test commands.
Commit after each successful step so you can roll back easily.
How do I use the Cursor AI code editor day to day?
Use Tab for routine typing, inline edit for targeted changes, chat for understanding and planning, and the agent for multi-file tasks. Keep a project rules file updated and review every diff.
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Useful habits:
- Reference specific files and symbols in chat instead of asking about the whole repository vaguely.
- Ask for a plan before large agent tasks, then approve step by step.
- Paste exact error messages and test output when asking for fixes.
- Choose faster models for simple edits and stronger ones for hard problems.
- Exclude large folders such as
node_modulesand data from indexing.
Treat AI suggestions like a teammate's pull request: understand them before merging.
How do I change the theme in Cursor?
Open the command palette with Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P, search for "Color Theme", and choose a theme. Install more themes from the extensions panel, just as in VS Code.
Because Cursor is based on VS Code, theme extensions and settings work the same way: you can set themes, fonts, font size and icon themes in settings, or edit the settings JSON directly. If you imported VS Code settings during setup, your existing theme may already be applied. For long coding sessions, choose a theme with good contrast and a readable monospaced font.
Cursor vs GitHub Copilot: which is better?
Both are strong. Cursor is a whole editor designed around AI, with deep codebase context and smooth multi-file editing. GitHub Copilot is an assistant that works inside editors you may already use, such as VS Code, Visual Studio and JetBrains IDEs, with strong GitHub integration and a coding agent for issues.
Choose Cursor if you want the most integrated AI editing experience and are happy to switch editors. Choose Copilot if your team relies on a specific IDE, GitHub workflows and enterprise policies. Both offer agent modes and multiple models, and both improve quickly. Run the same real task, such as adding an endpoint with tests, in each and compare how much you had to fix.
Cursor vs Windsurf: which should I use?
Cursor and Windsurf are both AI-native editors built on VS Code foundations, with chat, autocomplete and agents that make multi-file changes. Differences are in agent behaviour, context handling, model options, pricing and team features, and both change frequently.
Windsurf's agent, called Cascade, emphasises continuing context across steps; Cursor emphasises fast edits and a rich set of interaction modes. Many developers try both on their own project for a few days. Compare reliability on your stack, how well each follows project rules, speed, and cost at your usage level. Whichever you choose, the habits that matter most are the same: small tasks, clear context, review and tests.
Can Cursor really make you code much faster?
Cursor can make some work much faster, such as boilerplate, refactors, tests and unfamiliar APIs, but headline percentages like "259% faster" describe individual experiences, not guaranteed results. Overall gains depend on the task, your skill and how carefully you review.
Speed comes from good context, such as a clear rules file, focused requests and existing tests, and from knowing when not to use AI. Time can also be lost: debugging plausible but wrong code, or untangling large changes made without review. Measure your own results: track how long similar tasks take with and without AI over a few weeks. The developers who gain most use AI for drafts and spend saved time on design, testing and review.
Sources
GenAI engineer and AI product builder with 2+ years shipping production-grade AI systems: RAG pipelines, fine-tuned LLMs, hybrid retrieval and multi-modal apps across vision, speech and OCR, architected end to end from ingestion to deployment. Leads engineering for SCULT INDIA's 14-member team, founded the 500+ member TechVerse Enclave community and has mentored 200+ students. Three hackathon first prizes: Changethon 2025 (IIT Roorkee), Product Genesis at Vividhotsava 2025 (CSJMU) and BYTEBATTLE (MeetKats).
Open to GenAI roles, hackathon judging, mentorship sessions and guest talks at colleges. For campus sessions the inviting institution covers the visit end to end: travel (a First AC train ticket for journeys up to five hours, a flight for anything longer), accommodation, meals, and pickup and drop; the honorarium and workshop fees are negotiable on WhatsApp or on the call, and requests are welcome from institutions that can cover the visit this way. Email pranjulrathour41@gmail.com.
