Cursor

Build software faster in an editor designed for pair-programming with AI

Cursor is the AI-first code editor: a VS Code fork where the model is a native citizen, codebase-wide context, chat that edits across files, tab completions that predict multi-line changes, and an agent mode that plans and executes tasks inside the workspace.

Why founders use it: the editor is where the day goes, and Cursor removes the copy-paste loop between chat and code. The codebase indexing makes answers ground in your actual project, and the composer-style multi-file edits handle refactors that a chat window makes tedious. Teams already living in VS Code extensions and settings migrate in an afternoon.

A realistic use: refactor a module by describing the target, let the agent propose the diff across files, review it as a normal edit, and commit. Between sessions, tab completion quietly writes the boring half of every file.

Trade-offs: it is a subscription on top of your model budget, the fork occasionally lags upstream VS Code releases, and agent edits still need the same review discipline as any code. Compare with the terminal-first agents like Aider and with the in-IDE copilots from the platform vendors.