Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with Cursor's core AI features in 5 minutes.

Prerequisites

• Cursor installed (Installation SOP)
• A project open in Cursor

The Three Core Features

Feature	Shortcut	Use For
Tab Autocomplete	Tab	Single/multi-line completions
Inline Edit	Cmd+K	Edit selected code inline
Agent Chat	Cmd+I	Complex tasks autonomously

Step 1: Tab Autocomplete

Tab provides intelligent code completions as you type.

Try It Now

1. Open any code file
2. Start typing: function calculate
3. See ghost text appear with suggestions
4. Press Tab to accept, Escape to reject

Key Commands

Action	Shortcut
Accept suggestion	Tab
Reject suggestion	Escape
Accept word-by-word	Cmd+→ / Ctrl+→

Jump Feature

After accepting a Tab suggestion, press Tab again to jump to the next logical edit location in your file.

Step 2: Inline Edit (Cmd+K)

Edit code directly using natural language.

Try It Now

1. Select a function in your code
2. Press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux)
3. Type: "add error handling for null inputs"
4. Press Enter to apply

Modes

Mode	How to Trigger	Use Case
Edit Selection	Select code + Cmd+K	Modify specific code
Generate	No selection + Cmd+K	Create new code at cursor
Quick Question	Alt+Enter in prompt	Ask about code without changing it
Full File	Cmd+Shift+Enter	Comprehensive file changes

Quick Question

Press Alt+Enter instead of Enter to ask a question about the code. Then type "do it" to apply the suggestion.

Step 3: Agent Chat (Cmd+I)

Let AI handle complex, multi-step coding tasks.

Try It Now

1. Press Cmd+I (Mac) or Ctrl+I (Windows/Linux)
2. Type: "Create a React component for a todo list with add and delete functionality"
3. Watch Agent create files, write code, and run commands

Agent Modes

Switch modes with Cmd+. or Ctrl+.:

Mode	Best For
Agent	Complex features, refactoring, multi-file changes
Ask	Questions, learning, code exploration (read-only)
Plan	Complex tasks requiring upfront planning
Debug	Tricky bugs, hypothesis-driven debugging

Step 4: Add Context with @ Mentions

Give AI better context for more accurate responses.

Try It Now

In any chat or inline edit prompt, type @ to see options:

Mention	What It Does
@Files	Reference specific files
@Folders	Reference entire folders
@Code	Reference specific code sections
@Docs	Use external documentation

Example: "@package.json add a new script called 'test:coverage' that runs jest with coverage"

Step 5: Review Changes

Cursor shows diffs before applying changes.

Review Workflow:

1. AI proposes changes
2. You see: -old code (red) / +new code (green)
3. Accept (Cmd+Enter) or Reject (Cmd+Backspace)

Action	Shortcut
Accept all changes	Cmd+Enter / Ctrl+Enter
Reject all changes	Cmd+Backspace / Ctrl+Backspace
Accept individual	Click checkmark on change

Next Steps

Now that you know the basics:

1. Configure Rules - Set up persistent AI instructions for your project
2. Set Up MCP Servers - Connect to external tools like databases
3. Learn Agent Modes - Master all four Agent modes
4. Review Keyboard Shortcuts - Memorize key shortcuts for speed

Pro Tip

Create a .cursor/rules directory with project-specific rules. This gives AI consistent guidance across all your coding sessions.

Troubleshooting

Having issues? Check these first:

Problem	Solution
AI not responding	Check network: Cursor Settings > Network > Run Diagnostics
Slow completions	Disable heavy extensions, check Process Explorer
Wrong suggestions	Add more context with @ mentions

See the full Troubleshooting Guide for more solutions.