Introduction - Cursor Documentation

Learn how to use Cursor’s core features: Tab completion, Chat for code queries, and Agent for assistance

Overview

Cursor is a powerful AI-first code editor that enhances your development workflow. After installation, you’ll have access to these core features that work together seamlessly to make you more productive:

AI-powered code completion that understands your codebase and provides context-aware suggestions

Conversation interface for exploring, understanding, and modifying code with Ask, Edit, and Agent modes

Intelligent tools for handling complex development tasks

Getting Started

Start exploring Cursor’s AI-powered features:

Tab: Press Tab for intelligent code completions

CMD-K: Use Cmd/Ctrl + K for inline code edits

Chat: Use ⌘I to open the unified AI interface with Ask, Edit, and Agent modes

Settings

Cursor is designed to be flexible and customizable. You can configure it in two ways:

Cursor Settings

Access via gear icon, Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + J, or Command Palette > Cursor Settings

Configure AI features and Cursor-specific preferences

Editor Settings

Access via Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P) > "Preferences: Open Settings (UI)"

Adjust editor behavior and appearance

Let’s explore each feature in detail:

Tab

Tab completion in Cursor is powered by advanced AI models that understand your code context. As you type, you’ll receive intelligent suggestions that:

Complete your current line of code

Suggest entire function implementations

Help with common patterns and boilerplate

Adapt to your coding style over time

Learn more about Tab features or see how it compares to GitHub Copilot.

Chat

Cursor provides a unified AI interface with three modes that seamlessly work together:

Agent Mode (Default)

Make codebase-wide changes and refactoring

Implement new features from requirements

Debug complex issues across multiple files

Generate tests and documentation

Maintain consistency across your entire project

Ask Mode

Ask questions about specific code sections

Get explanations of complex functions

Find code patterns and examples

Discover and understand your codebase

Custom modes

Create your own modes that fits your workflow

Switch between modes during conversations to best suit your current task. Learn more about the unified AI interface or explore specific capabilities in Agent mode.

Context

Context is the foundation that powers all of Cursor’s AI features. Here’s how it works:

When you open a codebase, we automatically index your code to make it available as context

Use

@-symbols

to precisely control what context you provide:

@files and @folders for specific paths

@web for external documentation

@git for version control context

Configure rules for AI to customize behavior

Set up MCP for external context providers

Models

You can see all the models we support and their pricing on the models page. Configure your API keys and preferences in Settings.

Usage

It’s highly recommended to read about usage and plans to understand how Cursor pricing works. Check out our pricing page for more details about plans and features.

Need help? Visit our troubleshooting guide or join our community forum.