Cursor started as a code editor based on VS Code with integrated AI. In 2026 it has become the tool developers mention most when talking about productivity: not as a passive copilot that suggests lines of code, but as an editor that understands whole projects and can make coordinated changes across multiple files.
If you already use VS Code, the transition is almost immediate: Cursor is a fork of VS Code, your extensions work and the environment is identical. The difference lies in the AI layer added on top.
Cursor vs GitHub Copilot: the real difference
GitHub Copilot was the first to popularize AI autocompletion. Cursor goes further: it not only completes lines, but can read the context of your entire repository, understand the project’s architecture, and make changes that take into account how the code works together.
| Function | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (Hobby plan) / $20/month (Pro) | $10/month (Individual) |
| AI Model | GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, cursor-fast | GPT-4, proprietary models |
| Project context | ✅ Indexes entire repo | ⚠️ Active file context |
| Multi‑file editing | ✅ Composer mode | ❌ |
| Chat with code | ✅ Integrated chat | ✅ |
| Based on VS Code | ✅ Full fork | ✅ VS Code extension |
| Agent mode | ✅ (executes commands, reads files) | ❌ |
Installation and initial setup
Step 1: Download and install
Download Cursor from cursor.sh. It’s available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Installation is standard — next, next, install.
Step 2: Import VS Code settings
When you open Cursor for the first time, it asks if you want to import your VS Code settings. Say yes: extensions, keyboard shortcuts, themes, and configurations are imported automatically. In 2 minutes your environment is identical to the one you already know.
Step 3: Choose the AI model
In Settings → Models you can choose which model Cursor uses. The main options in 2026:
- cursor-fast: the fastest, ideal for continuous autocompletion
- Claude 3.5 Sonnet: the preferred choice for many developers for Composer and Chat because of its code‑reasoning quality
- GPT-4o: solid for code generation and explanations
The 4 features that most change the way you program
1. Autocomplete (Tab)
It’s the most basic entry point. As you type, Cursor predicts the next line or block of code. Unlike Copilot, Cursor reads the context of your current file and related files for more accurate suggestions. Accept with Tab, reject with Escape.
The trick that’s not obvious: if the suggestion is almost right but not exact, you can accept it and then ask in the chat to tweak it. It’s faster than writing from scratch.
2. Cmd+K: edit code inline with natural‑language instructions
Select a block of code, press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows) and type what you want to change. “Add error handling”, “convert this to TypeScript”, “optimize this SQL query to use indexes”. Cursor makes the change directly in the code, showing a diff view before applying it.
3. Composer: coordinated changes across multiple files
Composer (Cmd+Shift+I) is the most powerful function. You describe what you want to build or change in natural language, and Cursor analyzes your entire project to make the necessary changes in all affected files.
Real example: “Add JWT authentication to this Express API. Create the auth middleware, modify existing routes to protect them, and add login and refresh‑token endpoints.” Cursor identifies which files to modify, what to create, and does it in a coordinated way.
4. Chat with project context (@codebase)
In Cursor’s chat you can use @ to reference files, functions, or even the whole codebase. “@codebase where is the database connection initialized?” finds the answer across the entire project, not just the open file.
Typical workflow with Cursor
This is the workflow many developers use in 2026:
- Open the project in Cursor and let it index the repository (automatic)
- Use Chat to understand parts of the code you don’t know: “@file what does this function do?”
- For small changes: select code + Cmd+K with a direct instruction
- For new features: Composer with a detailed description of what to build
- Always review the diff before applying — Cursor can make mistakes
- Use @docs so Cursor reads the official documentation of a library before you use it
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cursor free?
Yes, the Hobby plan is free with 2,000 completions and 50 premium model uses per month. The Pro plan ($20/month) gives unlimited access to premium models and more Composer usage. For daily professional use, most developers end up paying for Pro.
Does Cursor work for any programming language?
Yes. Being based on VS Code, it supports all languages that VS Code supports. The best results are obtained with JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, Rust, and Go because of the amount of training code available, but it works well with any language.
Is it safe to use Cursor with proprietary code?
Cursor has a Privacy Mode that disables storing your code on the servers. You can enable it in Settings. Many companies run Cursor in production with this setting. For use in highly regulated environments (banking, healthcare), consult their corporate terms of use.