SOP-004: Tab Autocomplete

Document Control

Field	Value
SOP ID	SOP-004
Version	1.0
Status	Active
Last Updated	2024-12

Purpose

This SOP covers mastering Cursor's Tab autocomplete feature, including multi-line completions, cross-file navigation, and auto-imports.

Scope

• Understanding Tab suggestions
• Accepting and rejecting completions
• File jumps and auto-imports
• Configuration options

Prerequisites

• Cursor installed and configured
• Tab enabled in Cursor Settings

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Procedure

How Tab Works

Flow: You Type → AI Predicts → Ghost Text → Accept/Reject

Step	What Happens
You Type	Code + intent
AI Predicts	Context + recent edits analyzed
Ghost Text	Semi-opaque suggestion appears
Accept/Reject	Tab = Accept, Esc = Reject

Context Considered:

• Current file content
• Recent changes
• Linter errors
• Previously accepted edits

Step 1: Basic Usage

Trigger Suggestions: Simply start typing. Tab suggestions appear automatically as ghost text.

Accept/Reject:

Action	Shortcut
Accept full suggestion	Tab
Reject suggestion	Escape
Accept word-by-word	Cmd+→ / Ctrl+→
Keep typing	Suggestion updates

Example:

// Type: function calc
// Ghost text appears: ulateSum(a, b) { return a + b; }
// Press Tab to accept
function calculateSum(a, b) { return a + b; }

Step 2: Multi-Line Completions

Tab can suggest entire blocks of code:

You type: if (user.

Tab suggests:

if (user.isAuthenticated) {
  return { success: true };
} else {
  return { success: false, error: 'Unauthorized' };
}

Press Tab to accept all lines

Step 3: Partial Accepts

Enable in Cursor Settings > Tab > Partial Accepts

Use Cmd+→ / Ctrl+→ to accept one word at a time:

// Suggestion: console.log('User authenticated successfully');
// Press Cmd+→ once: console.
// Press Cmd+→ again: console.log(
// Continue until satisfied

When to Use Partial Accepts

• When suggestion is mostly right but needs tweaking
• When you want to verify each part
• When learning what Tab suggests

Step 4: Jump in File

After accepting a Tab suggestion, Tab can jump you to the next edit location:

function greet(name) {          // ← Accept Tab here
  return `Hello, ${name}`;
}

// Press Tab again...

function farewell(name) {       // ← Jumps here automatically
  return `Goodbye, ${name}`;
}

Tab predicts where you'll need to edit next and jumps there.

Step 5: Jump Across Files

Tab predicts edits needed in related files:

1. You edit: api/users.ts - add new function getUser()
2. Portal appears: at bottom of screen
3. Shows suggestion: types/user.ts - Add type definition
4. Press Tab: to jump to types/user.ts and apply the edit

This works great for:

• Adding type definitions when creating new functions
• Updating imports when adding exports
• Synchronizing related code across files

Step 6: Auto-Import

Tab automatically adds missing imports (TypeScript & Python):

// You type: const response = axios.get(
// Tab auto-adds at top of file:
import axios from 'axios';

// Then completes your code:
const response = axios.get('/api/users');

Troubleshooting Auto-Import:

• Ensure language server is active
• Check if import shows in Quick Fix (Cmd+. / Ctrl+.)
• Verify TypeScript/Python extensions installed

Step 7: Tab in Peek

Use Tab inside Go to Definition peek views:

1. Right-click a function → Go to Definition (or press F12)
2. Peek view opens inline
3. Tab works inside the peek view
4. Great for updating function signatures and fixing call sites

Vim Users

Use gd to jump to definitions, modify with Tab, then return.

---

Configuration

Navigate to Cursor Settings > Tab:

Setting	Description	Default
Cursor Tab	Enable/disable AI completions	On
Partial Accepts	Word-by-word acceptance	Off
Suggestions While Commenting	Tab in comment blocks	On
Whitespace-Only	Format-only suggestions	Off
Auto Import (TS)	TypeScript auto-imports	On
Auto Import (Python)	Python auto-imports	Beta

Toggling Tab

Use status bar (bottom-right) to:

• Snooze: Temporarily disable
• Disable globally: Turn off for all files
• Disable for extensions: Turn off for specific file types (e.g., .md, .json)

---

Best Practices

DO:

• Write descriptive variable/function names
• Add comments for complex logic (Tab reads them)
• Use partial accepts for verification
• Let Tab complete boilerplate

DON'T:

• Accept suggestions without reading them
• Fight Tab - if rejecting often, adjust approach
• Rely on Tab for security-critical code

---

Verification Checklist

• [ ] Tab suggestions appear when typing
• [ ] Escape properly rejects suggestions
• [ ] Partial accepts work with Cmd+→
• [ ] Jump in file works after accepting
• [ ] Cross-file jump portal appears when relevant
• [ ] Auto-imports added for TypeScript/Python

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
No suggestions appearing	Check Tab is enabled in settings
Wrong/irrelevant suggestions	Add more context (comments, variable names)
Auto-import not working	Check language server active, test with Cmd+.
Tab interfering with typing	Snooze temporarily or disable for file type
Slow suggestions	Check network, disable heavy extensions

See Also

• SOP-005: Inline Edit
• SOP-006: Agent Chat
• Keyboard Shortcuts