Using Cursor AI in Development: A Practical Guide

Introduction

Cursor AI is more than just a code editor—it's a development partner. This guide walks you through practical ways to integrate Cursor AI into your daily workflow.

Essential Cursor AI Features

1. Tab Completion

Cursor's intelligent autocomplete goes beyond simple suggestions:

• Multi-line completions that understand context
• Function body generation from signatures
• Smart import suggestions

2. Cmd+K (Inline Editing)

Select code and describe what you want:

// Select a function, press Cmd+K, type:
"Add error handling and logging"
// Cursor generates the updated code

3. Chat Sidebar

Have conversations with AI about your code:

• Explain complex algorithms
• Suggest optimizations
• Generate documentation

Workflow Tips

For Writing Tests

1. Select the function you want to test
2. Press Cmd+K and type "generate unit tests"
3. Review and customize the generated tests

For Code Reviews

1. Paste code changes in chat
2. Ask for potential issues or improvements
3. Get explanations of complex changes

For Debugging

1. Share error messages with AI
2. Provide relevant code context
3. Get step-by-step debugging guidance

Best Practices

• Provide clear, specific instructions
• Include relevant context when asking questions
• Review AI suggestions before accepting
• Use @file mentions to reference specific files

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Cmd+K: Inline AI editing
• Cmd+L: Open chat sidebar
• Cmd+Shift+K: Generate from scratch
• Tab: Accept completion

Conclusion

Mastering Cursor AI takes practice, but the productivity gains are substantial. Start with simple tasks and gradually incorporate more AI assistance into your workflow.