What is Cursor AI Editor?

Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on VS Code with Claude 4.5 Sonnet integration. It features Tab completion for 30-50% faster coding, Cmd+K for surgical edits, AI Chat (Cmd+L) for questions and debugging, and Composer for multi-file editing.

How do I use Tab completion in Cursor?

Tab completion in Cursor predicts 1-15 lines of code. Start typing a function name or code pattern, and press Tab to accept the AI suggestion. Use Cmd+→ to accept word-by-word, and Alt+[ or Alt+] to cycle through alternatives.

What is Cmd+K in Cursor?

Cmd+K (Ctrl+K on Windows/Linux) is Cursor's inline editing feature. Select code, press Cmd+K, describe your change in plain English (like 'add error handling' or 'convert to TypeScript'), and Cursor makes the edit instantly.

How do @ symbols work in Cursor?

@ symbols provide context to Cursor's AI: @Files references specific files, @Folders references directories, @Codebase searches your entire project, @Docs queries official documentation, and @Web searches the internet. They dramatically improve AI accuracy.

What are Cursor Rules?

Cursor Rules are custom instructions in a .cursorrules file that tell the AI how to generate code for your project. They enforce coding standards, preferred libraries, file organization, and team conventions automatically.

Overview Basics Advanced Features Examples

Essential Cursor Settings for Maximum Productivity

Master the most functional settings in Cursor to supercharge your AI-assisted development workflow.

Why Settings Matter

The right Cursor settings can dramatically improve your development speed, AI interaction quality, and overall coding experience. This tutorial covers the most impactful settings that every developer should configure.

AI Model & Behavior Settings

Configure how Cursor's AI interacts with your code

1. AI Model Selection

Choose the right AI model for your needs. Cursor supports multiple models with different strengths:

Claude 4.5 Sonnet: Best for complex reasoning, code generation, and debugging
GPT-4: Excellent for creative coding and diverse programming languages
GPT-4o: Fast and efficient for quick tasks and simple code changes

2. Context Window Settings

Configure how much code context the AI can see and work with:

JSON

{
  "cursor.ai.contextWindow": "large", // small, medium, large
  "cursor.ai.includeImports": true,
  "cursor.ai.includeComments": true,
  "cursor.ai.maxFileSize": 10000
}

3. AI Response Behavior

Control how the AI responds to your requests:

• Auto-apply suggestions: Automatically apply simple changes
• Show reasoning: Display AI's thought process
• Generate tests: Automatically create unit tests for new code
• Suggest improvements: Proactively suggest code optimizations

Editor & Code Settings

Optimize your coding environment for maximum efficiency

1. Code Formatting & Linting

JSON

{
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.formatOnPaste": true,
  "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
    "source.fixAll.eslint": true,
    "source.organizeImports": true
  },
  "eslint.autoFixOnSave": true,
  "prettier.enable": true
}

2. IntelliSense & Autocomplete

JSON

{
  "editor.suggestOnTriggerCharacters": true,
  "editor.acceptSuggestionOnCommitCharacter": true,
  "editor.acceptSuggestionOnEnter": "on",
  "editor.tabCompletion": "on",
  "editor.quickSuggestions": {
    "other": true,
    "comments": false,
    "strings": true
  }
}

3. File Management

JSON

{
  "files.autoSave": "afterDelay",
  "files.autoSaveDelay": 1000,
  "files.trimTrailingWhitespace": true,
  "files.insertFinalNewline": true,
  "files.trimFinalNewlines": true,
  "explorer.confirmDelete": false,
  "explorer.confirmDragAndDrop": false
}

Essential Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these shortcuts for lightning-fast development

AI Interaction

Open AI ChatCmd+L

AI Code GenerationCmd+K

AI Edit SelectionCmd+Shift+K

Accept AI SuggestionTab

Navigation & Editing

Quick File OpenCmd+P

Go to DefinitionF12

Find in FilesCmd+Shift+F

Toggle TerminalCtrl+`

Theme & Appearance

Customize your visual experience for better focus and productivity

Recommended Themes

• Dark+ (default dark): Easy on the eyes for long coding sessions
• One Dark Pro: Popular dark theme with great syntax highlighting
• Material Theme: Google's Material Design inspired theme
• Monokai Pro: Classic theme with excellent contrast

Font & Typography

JSON

{
  "editor.fontFamily": "'Fira Code', 'JetBrains Mono', 'Cascadia Code', monospace",
  "editor.fontSize": 14,
  "editor.fontLigatures": true,
  "editor.lineHeight": 1.5,
  "editor.letterSpacing": 0.5
}

Performance Optimization

Keep Cursor running smoothly even with large projects

Memory & CPU Settings

JSON

{
  "typescript.preferences.includePackageJsonAutoImports": "off",
  "typescript.suggest.autoImports": false,
  "typescript.updateImportsOnFileMove.enabled": "never",
  "search.followSymlinks": false,
  "files.watcherExclude": {
    "**/.git/objects/**": true,
    "**/.git/subtree-cache/**": true,
    "**/node_modules/**": true,
    "**/dist/**": true
  }
}

AI Performance

JSON

{
  "cursor.ai.maxTokens": 4000,
  "cursor.ai.temperature": 0.7,
  "cursor.ai.streaming": true,
  "cursor.ai.cacheResponses": true
}

Security & Privacy

Protect your code and maintain privacy

Code Privacy Settings

• Exclude sensitive files: Add .env, config files to .cursorignore
• Disable telemetry: Turn off usage data collection if desired
• Local processing: Use local models for sensitive projects
• Code encryption: Enable encryption for cloud-synced settings

Recommended .cursorignore

TEXT

# Sensitive files
.env
.env.local
.env.production
config/secrets.js
*.key
*.pem

# Dependencies
node_modules/
vendor/
bower_components/

# Build outputs
dist/
build/
.next/
out/

# Logs
*.log
logs/

# OS generated files
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

Pro Tips for Maximum Productivity

Use workspaces: Create separate workspaces for different projects to maintain clean settings

Sync settings: Enable settings sync across devices for consistent experience

Custom snippets: Create custom code snippets for frequently used patterns

Extension management: Keep only essential extensions to maintain performance

Next Steps

Now that you've configured Cursor for maximum productivity, explore these advanced topics:

Custom Configurations

Learn to create custom AI prompts and workflows

Workflow Optimization

Streamline your development process with AI

Overview Basics Advanced Features Examples