Cursor Setup Guide
Free
Use an AI editor to understand a project and make a measured edit.
BEGINNER / DESKTOP EDITOR
1. Set the stage
Start with the official app, a small project, and one Git branch. You do not need several AI extensions to make a first useful change.
1. Install & sign in
Download Cursor from cursor.com/downloads for your system. Install the app, open it, and complete account sign-in.
2. Open a practice folder
Choose a small repository and inspect the file tree. Confirm the project root, package scripts, and current branch.
3. Ask before editing
Open Agent and request a codebase explanation. Point it to the relevant files and give a narrow outcome with an observable success check.
4. Review & run the result
Ask for one focused edit. Inspect the file diff and run the project's existing test or preview command before committing.
2. Lean working stack
| Stage | Role | | --- | --- | | Cursor | Understand & edit | | Git | Inspect the diff | | Local checks | Validate changes | | Preview | Review the UI |
Arrows in the visual sheet show the order of work. External connections require separate setup. Optional tools may be replaced with ones you already use. This is a suggested stack for this task, not a universal optimum.
Give useful project context
Keep instructions short: architecture, conventions, run commands, and acceptance checks. Let the agent read the actual code instead of guessing.
Avoid overlapping assistants
Use the built-in AI workflow first. Add language or formatter extensions only when needed, and avoid competing auto-edit tools.
3. First practice task
Explain this practice project's entry point and how to run it. Then suggest a small accessibility improvement, name the affected files, and describe how to verify it before editing.
Your setup is working when
You understand the proposed change, the diff is focused, and the improvement is observable in the running app and relevant checks.
Troubleshooting
Wrong context? Select the right folder and files. Build failure? Read the first actionable error. Unwanted edit? Review and revert only that change.
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