How to use Cursor AI?
To use Cursor, download the editor, open a project folder, and use four core tools: Tab for AI autocomplete, Cmd/Ctrl+K for inline edits, Chat (Cmd/Ctrl+L) to ask questions, and Agent to make multi-file changes and run commands. Use @ symbols to point the AI at specific files or docs.
Why — the first-principles explanation
Cursor is a fork of the popular VS Code editor with an AI layer wired directly into the typing experience. Because it is built on VS Code, everything you already know about editing files, extensions, and the terminal still works. The difference is that an AI model watches your code and can read your whole project when you ask it to.
The reason Cursor feels powerful is context. Ordinary chatbots only know what you paste in. Cursor indexes your codebase into a searchable form (embeddings), so when you ask a question, it can automatically pull in the relevant files. That is why you can say "add login to this app" and it knows which files to touch, instead of you copying and pasting for ten minutes.
The four tools map to four different jobs. Tab predicts your next few lines as you type. Cmd+K edits the exact code you highlighted. Chat answers questions without changing anything. Agent is the autonomous mode: it plans, edits several files, runs terminal commands, reads the errors, and fixes them in a loop until the task is done.
The @ symbol is how you aim the AI. Typing @file, @folder, or @docs tells it exactly what to look at, which makes answers far more accurate than leaving it to guess.
An example that makes it click
Imagine a super-smart intern sitting next to you who has already read every file in your project. Tab is the intern finishing your sentence as you write. Cmd+K is you highlighting one paragraph and saying "rewrite this to be shorter." Chat is you spinning your chair around to ask "where does the password check happen?" And Agent is you handing over a sticky note that says "add a dark mode button," then watching the intern edit five files, run the app, see it break, and fix it, all on their own.
The @ symbol is like pointing at a specific book on the shelf and saying "use this one."
How to do it
- Download Cursor from cursor.com and install it (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
- Open your project by choosing File > Open Folder, or import your VS Code settings when prompted.
- Start typing code and press Tab to accept the AI's autocomplete suggestions.
- Highlight code and press Cmd+K (Ctrl+K on Windows) to describe an inline edit in plain English.
- Press Cmd+L (Ctrl+L) to open Chat and ask questions about your code without changing it.
- Switch the chat to Agent mode to have the AI edit multiple files and run terminal commands for a whole task.
- Type @ in any prompt to attach specific files, folders, docs, or the web as context.
Key facts
- Cursor is built on VS Code, so existing extensions, themes, and keybindings mostly carry over.
- Tab autocomplete, Cmd+K inline edit, Chat, and Agent are the four primary interaction modes.
- Agent mode can edit multiple files and run terminal commands autonomously, then fix its own errors.
- The @ symbol attaches context such as @file, @folder, @docs, and @web to a prompt.
- Cursor indexes your codebase so the AI can find relevant files without manual pasting.
- New users get a roughly two-week Pro trial to test the full feature set.
An AI-first code editor built on VS Code.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.▶ The 60-second explainer (script)
Here's how to actually use Cursor. First, download it and open your project folder, just like any code editor. Now, four tools do most of the work. As you type, press Tab to accept AI autocomplete. To change existing code, highlight it and press Command K, then describe the edit in plain English. To ask a question without changing anything, press Command L to open Chat. And for a full task, like adding a feature across several files, switch to Agent mode. The agent will plan, edit multiple files, run terminal commands, see any errors, and fix them by itself. One pro tip: type the at symbol to point the AI at a specific file, folder, or documentation. That single habit makes its answers dramatically more accurate. Start small, let it autocomplete, then work up to full agent tasks.
What authoritative sources say
People also ask
Do I need to know how to code to use Cursor?
It helps a lot. Beginners can use Agent mode for simple tasks, but you still need to run, test, and judge the code it writes.
What is the difference between Chat and Agent?
Chat answers questions and suggests changes. Agent actually makes the edits and runs commands to complete a task end to end.
Can I import my VS Code setup?
Yes. On first launch Cursor offers to import your VS Code extensions, themes, and keybindings in one click.
What does the @ symbol do?
It attaches specific context, like a file, folder, documentation, or a web page, so the AI works from the right information.