How to Use Cursor
The AI code editor that writes, explains, and fixes code with you.
⬇️Download — cursor.com — free download for Mac, Windows, LinuxCursor is a code editor (like Notepad for code, but much smarter) with a built-in AI that writes, explains, and fixes code alongside you. You describe what you want in plain English, and Cursor writes the code — explaining each step so you can learn as you build.
✓ Perfect for you if...
- ▸People who want to see and understand the code as it's written
- ▸Building full-stack web apps, APIs, and developer tools
- ▸Learning to code while actually shipping something real
Get set up in 5 steps
Follow these in order — each step takes about 1–2 minutes.
Download Cursor
Go to cursor.com and click "Download." It's free. Choose the version for your operating system (Mac, Windows, or Linux).
Install it
Open the downloaded file and install it like any other app — drag to Applications on Mac, run the installer on Windows.
Open Cursor and sign in
Launch Cursor. It will ask you to sign in — create a free account with your email or Google. The free plan is enough to get started.
Create a new folder for your project
On your computer, create a new empty folder called something like "my-first-app." In Cursor, go to File → Open Folder and select it.
Open the AI chat
Press Ctrl+L (Windows) or Cmd+L (Mac) to open the AI chat panel on the right. This is where you talk to the AI. You're ready to build.
Your first prompt — paste this right now
Telling Cursor you're a beginner makes it explain as it goes. Asking for a no-key weather API means it will work immediately with zero configuration or sign-up.
I'm a complete beginner. Help me build a simple weather app. The app should: - Have a text input where I type a city name and press Enter or click "Get Weather" - Show the current temperature, weather description (e.g. "Partly cloudy"), and an emoji weather icon - Use a free weather API that requires no API key or sign-up to fetch real weather data - Show a loading state while fetching and an error message if the city isn't found - Use plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — no frameworks, keep it simple Please walk me through each step, explain what you're doing, and tell me how to run it in my browser when it's done.
3 tips that make a real difference
1. Use Ctrl+L (Cmd+L on Mac) to chat, Ctrl+K to edit
Ctrl+L opens the chat panel for general questions and new features. Ctrl+K lets you select a piece of code and ask the AI to change just that part. Both are essential shortcuts to learn first.
2. Paste error messages directly into the chat
When something goes wrong, copy the full error message from your browser's console (right-click → Inspect → Console) and paste it into the Cursor chat. It will read the error and fix the code.
3. Start with a single file
For your first project, keep everything in one HTML file. Cursor handles one-file projects especially well, and you'll see exactly what's happening without getting lost in a complex file structure.
Ready to pick your first idea?
We've curated the best project ideas specifically matched to Cursor — filtered by what actually works well with this tool.
Browse Cursor project ideas →Also learn how to use