Cursor AI Just Had Its ChatGPT Moment — How to Download and Use Cursor AI

Sebastian Petrus
6 min readSep 4, 2024

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Cursor AI, an AI-powered code editor, has recently taken the developer community by storm with its revolutionary features that aim to revolutionize the way we write code.

Touted as the “ChatGPT moment” for programmers, Cursor AI offers an unparalleled coding experience that combines the power of artificial intelligence with the familiarity of a traditional code editor.

Andreessen Horowitz Has Announced to Invest in Cursor

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process of downloading and using Cursor AI, showcasing its key features and how they can boost your productivity and efficiency as a developer.

What is Cursor AI?

AI Powered Coding with Cursor AI

Cursor AI is an AI-powered code editor that seamlessly integrates with Visual Studio Code (VSCode), providing developers with a suite of AI-driven tools to enhance their coding experience. Built on top of VSCode, Cursor AI offers a familiar interface while introducing cutting-edge features that leverage the power of artificial intelligence to assist developers at every stage of the coding process.

Hey, if you are working with AI APIs, Apidog is here to make your life easier. It’s an all-in-one API development tool that streamlines the entire process — from design and documentation to testing and debugging.

Key Features of Cursor AI

Build Software Easier, Faster with Cursor AI
  1. AI-Powered Code Generation: Cursor AI’s AI model can generate code snippets based on natural language descriptions, allowing you to create complex functionality with just a few keystrokes. Simply type a description of what you want to achieve, and Cursor AI will generate the corresponding code for you.
  2. Intelligent Code Completion: Cursor AI’s Copilot++ feature takes code completion to the next level by predicting your next edit with uncanny accuracy. As you type, Copilot++ suggests relevant code completions, saving you time and reducing the risk of errors.
  3. Contextual Code Explanation: Cursor AI allows you to highlight a block of code and request an explanation of what it does. The AI model will analyze the code and provide a clear, concise explanation, helping you understand unfamiliar code snippets more easily.
  4. Integrated AI Chat: Cursor AI includes an AI chat feature that enables you to ask questions about your code, get help with debugging, or even discuss programming concepts. The AI chat is powered by a large language model trained on a vast amount of programming knowledge, making it a valuable resource for developers of all skill levels.
  5. Seamless Integration with VSCode: Cursor AI is built on top of VSCode, ensuring a smooth transition for existing VSCode users. You can import your favorite extensions, themes, and keybindings with just a click, maintaining your preferred workflow while benefiting from Cursor AI’s advanced features.

How to Download and Install Cursor AI

  1. Visit the Cursor AI website: Go to https://www.cursor.com and click on the “Download for Free” button.
  2. Choose your operating system: Select the appropriate version for your computer (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
  3. Install Cursor AI: Follow the installation instructions for your operating system. The process is straightforward and should only take a few minutes.
  4. Launch Cursor AI: Once the installation is complete, open Cursor AI. You’ll be greeted with a familiar VSCode interface, but with Cursor AI’s additional features enabled.
  5. Set up your API key: To use Cursor AI’s full range of features, you’ll need to provide an API key. You can obtain an API key by signing up for a Cursor AI account on their website. Follow the instructions provided to set up your API key within Cursor AI.

Cursor AI’s Key Combinations: A Quick Cheetsheet

Yes, Cursor AI Has Turned Coding THAT Easy
  • AI-Powered Code Generation: To generate code using natural language descriptions, simply type your description in a code block and press Ctrl+K (or the keybinding of your choice). Cursor AI will analyze your description and generate the corresponding code snippet.
  • Just Press Tab to Continue: As you type, Cursor AI’s Copilot++ feature will suggest relevant code completions. You can accept the suggestions by pressing Tab or by clicking on the desired completion.
  • Contextual Code Explanation: To get an explanation of a code block, highlight the code and press Ctrl+K (or the keybinding of your choice). Cursor AI will analyze the code and provide a clear explanation of what it does.
  • Launch AI Chat within Your IDE: To access the AI chat feature, press Ctrl+L (or the keybinding of your choice) and type your question or request. The AI chat will respond with relevant information or suggestions based on your input.
  • How to Customize Keybindings: If you find that Cursor AI’s default keybindings conflict with your existing VSCode keybindings, you can customize them by modifying the keybindings.json file. You can find instructions on how to do this in Cursor AI's documentation.

Before we conclude, let’s talk about something that we all face during development: API Testing with Postman for your Development Team.

Yeah, I’ve heard of it as well, Postman is getting worse year by year, but, you are working as a team and you need some collaboration tools for your development process, right? So you paid Postman Enterprise for…. $49/month.

Now I am telling you: You Don’t Have to:

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That’s right, APIDog gives you all the features that comes with Postman paid version, at a fraction of the cost. Migration has been so easily that you only need to click a few buttons, and APIDog will do everything for you.

APIDog has a comprehensive, easy to use GUI that makes you spend no time to get started working (If you have migrated from Postman). It’s elegant, collaborate, easy to use, with Dark Mode too!

APIDog makes you very easy to migrate from Postman with No Learning Curve

Want a Good Alternative to Postman? APIDog is definitely worth a shot. But if you are the Tech Lead of a Dev Team that really want to dump Postman for something Better, and Cheaper, Check out APIDog!

Conclusion

Cursor AI represents a significant leap forward in the world of code editors, offering developers a powerful AI-driven tool to enhance their coding experience. With its intuitive interface, seamless VSCode integration, and cutting-edge features, Cursor AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we write code. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, Cursor AI is worth exploring as a way to boost your productivity and efficiency.

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Sebastian Petrus
Sebastian Petrus

Written by Sebastian Petrus

Asist Prof @U of Waterloo, AI/ML, e/acc

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