Getting the Most Out of Cursor: A Human's Guide
If you're reading this article, I guess you're not tired of all the AI code gen advice out there, or maybe somehow you found this lil guide written by an actual human with actual dreams and nightmares.
Some of those nightmares revolve around people over-promising stuff with AI.
You know those LinkedinLunatics? They cause so much noise, and make everyone's work just a little bit harder... Please stop. You're hurting the industry you're trying to impress.
Aaanyway, you're now thinking about all these tools out there.
Lovable, Bolt, CoPilot (almost forgot about that one). And I'm here to tell you why you should stick to Cursor.
Again, the assumption here is that you have some basic basic "I fixed a heading" kind of programming knowledge. If white text on a black background scares you, feel free to run as far as you can see, in favor of other more visually pleasing experiences. I play with those as well, check out this Girlie Pop Nation - Official Taylor Swift Kahoot-style clone. Cursor is far from perfect and some would say it's even getting further behind, seeing how other tools caught up.
Most importantly for me, Cursor tries to be an IDE—and that's what you need. End of story. I can't imagine editing an actual app in the browser, for so many reasons. You can technically view/edit code in Github directly, but no one should ever do that (and if they do, you need to fire them right now).
Cursor is a fork of VS Code, the de facto winner of the decade-long IDE wars. Now let's stop talking about IDEs or we risk rekindling that flame.
It's got some issues, makes some mistakes, drops the ball in the most ridiculous ways, but impresses you when you least expect it.
If you use it strategically, you can significantly improve your "hobby coding" workflow. Real OG developers set up Cursor carefully to avoid common vibe-coding issues. Just like club music sets the vibe but doesn't solely impress anyone, rules in Cursor set a general coding vibe. Did you like that metaphor? Thanks.
And it's crucial to set up Cursor with guardrails to avoid inconsistent code, dank practices, and bloated complexity.
1. First Rule of Cursor: Use Rules
Create a rules.md file in your project folder (or better yet, make the LLM create it). Store both general specs ("use React, ensure typesafety") and articulation work rules (like avoiding PowerShell commands in terminal or preferring Tailwind classes over pixels). This saves maintenance time and boosts consistency.
2. Bonus Points: Set Global AI Rules
Some rules repeat across projects, so set global ones in Cursor settings. It'll reduce manual tweaks, maintain consistency, and elevate your overall code quality.
3. Let Agent Mode Do the Annoying Bits
Agent Mode handles those repetitive multi-step tasks—writing initial code, running tests, iterating improvements. This leaves you space for strategic thinking, troubleshooting, or scrolling TikTok guilt-free (almost).
4. TDD Isn’t Just a Buzzword
Write tests first. Cursor will follow your test specs, resulting in fewer bugs and simpler integrations. Seriously, just trust me on this one—it’s like magic but nerdier.
5. Chunk Tasks Like a Normal Human
Break complex tasks into smaller pieces. Cursor does better with bite-sized tasks, and your brain will thank you during debugging.
6. Use @ Like It’s Instagram
Directly reference files or directories in prompts with an @. Giving Cursor more context means better, more accurate code. Easy win.
7. YOLO Mode (But Safely)
Cursor’s YOLO Mode automates fixes and validations without endless approvals. Use it carefully—it speeds things up without sacrificing stability.
8. Keep a Casual Design Doc
Regularly update a chill design document. Cursor reads it, makes smarter choices, and your future self will love you for it.
9. Commit Like You Mean It
Commit frequently. Use version control. It’s basic, I know, but reliable checkpoints save your sanity.
10. Composer for Coordinated Chaos
Cursor’s Composer feature manages edits across multiple files at once. This saves you from manually tracking down every pesky change yourself.
Conclusion
Cursor isn't perfect. But who cares? Instead of dwelling on its imperfections, make it work for you. If coding terrifies you, grab a visual tool instead. But if you've ever bravely faced HTML, take the time to master Cursor—it’s genuinely worth the effort.