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Coding Tools
Cursor AI
Definition
Cursor is an AI-first code editor (VS Code fork) designed around AI-assisted development, offering deep codebase understanding, multi-file editing, and agentic coding capabilities.
Why It Matters
Cursor reimagined the IDE around AI from the ground up rather than adding AI as an afterthought. Its deep codebase indexing, composer feature for multi-file edits, and agentic capabilities have made it the preferred tool for many AI-forward developers, particularly those working on complex codebases.
Key Features
- Codebase Indexing: AI understands your entire project structure
- Composer: Make changes across multiple files simultaneously
- Chat: Context-aware conversations about your code
- Agent Mode: Autonomous task completion
- .cursorrules: Custom instructions for your project
- Model Selection: Choose between GPT-4, Claude, and others
Pricing
- Free: Basic features with limited AI usage
- Pro: $20/month for unlimited AI features
- Business: $40/user/month with team features
When to Choose
Choose Cursor if: you want the most AI-native development experience, you frequently make multi-file changes, you work with large codebases that benefit from indexing, or you value having the latest AI features quickly.