Cursor is a fork of VS Code rebuilt around AI-assisted coding. It uses large language models to autocomplete entire functions, refactor code blocks, and answer questions about your codebase directly in the editor. Unlike plugins that bolt AI onto an existing editor, Cursor integrates it at the core.
What Makes Cursor Different
The key feature is Cmd+K (or Ctrl+K) inline editing. Select a block of code, describe what you want changed in plain English, and Cursor rewrites it. It understands context from your entire project – not just the current file. The Tab completion predicts multi-line changes based on what you are doing, often finishing a function before you type the second line.
Codebase-Aware Chat
The built-in chat references your actual files and dependencies. Ask “how does authentication work in this project” and it reads your auth middleware, routes, and config to give a project-specific answer. This is far more useful than generic AI chat that does not know your code. It also integrates with docs – tag @docs to reference library documentation directly.
Practical Use Cases
- Writing boilerplate: test files, API routes, database migrations
- Refactoring: rename patterns across files, convert callbacks to async/await
- Debugging: paste an error message and get a targeted fix for your code
- Documentation: generate JSDoc comments from function signatures
- Learning: ask questions about unfamiliar code in inherited projects
Pricing
Free tier includes 2,000 completions per month. Pro plan at $20/month gives unlimited completions with GPT-4 and Claude access. Business tier adds team management and privacy controls. Since it is VS Code-based, all your existing VS Code extensions work out of the box.
Limitations
AI suggestions are not always correct – you still need to review generated code. Large codebases can be slow to index initially. The AI features require an internet connection. Privacy-conscious teams should review the data handling policies before adopting it for proprietary code.