Description:

Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on VS Code that integrates advanced language models directly into the development environment. It can analyze entire projects, edit files inline, predict next edits, and automate complex development tasks through natural-language instructions and multi-file editing.

In this course, participants will learn how to use Cursor to accelerate software development, automate engineering workflows, and build AI-assisted coding habits. Through demonstrations and hands-on labs, learners will explore Cursor’s interface, Composer features, configuration system, and integration with developer tools.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to integrate Cursor into real-world development workflows and use it to automate complex engineering tasks.

Duration: 

1 Day

Course Code: BDT625

Learning Objectives:

After this course, you will be able to:

1. Understand the architecture and capabilities of Cursor
2. Install and configure Cursor in a development environment
3. Use natural-language instructions to analyze and modify codebases
4. Automate coding workflows using Cursor Composer
5. Create and manage agents, skills, and commands
6. Integrate Cursor with existing developer tools and extensions
7. Apply best practices for AI-assisted development

1. Software Developers & Engineers 
2. Senior Developers & Tech Leads
3. DevOps & Platform Engineers
4. Full-Stack & Backend Developers
5. Engineering Managers & CTOs
6. QA Engineers & Test Automation Specialists

1. Basic familiarity with software development workflows
2. Basic experience using IDE (like VS Code)
3. Basic knowledge of Git and code repositories
4. Experience with a programming language (Python, JavaScript, etc.)
5. Comfort working in a terminal / command line
6. No Prior Cursor experience needed.

Course Outline:

Introduction to Cursor

1. What are AI coding assistants and AI-native IDEs?
2. Overview of underlying AI models in Cursor (GPT, Claude, Gemini)
3. What is Cursor?
4. Key capabilities of Cursor
5. Cursor vs traditional coding assistants and extensions

Key Concepts

1. AI-native development environments
2. AI-assisted development workflows
3. Codebase indexing and understanding

Demonstration

1. Exploring Claude Code in the terminal

Installing and Configuring Cursor

1. System requirements and migration from VS Code
2. Installing Cursor
3. Authentication, account setup, and model selection
4. Opening project and managing codebase indexing
5. Configuring settings, keyboard shortcuts, and preferences

Hands-On Lab

1. Install Cursor
2. Initialize and index a project in Cursor
3. Run basic AI queries and inline edits

Cursor Architecture and Workflow

1. How Cursor works
2. Editor-based AI interaction (Chat, Cmd+K, Composer)
3. Codebase context, embeddings, and file access
4. Terminal integration and command execution
5. Interaction with various LLM models

Key Concepts

1. Context awareness and @ symbol
2. Cursor Tab (predictive editing)
3. Safe execution and approvals

Working with Cursor Features

1. Using the Chat panel for codebase questions
2. Inline code generation and editing (Cmd+K / Ctrl+K)
3. Multi-file editing Composer (Cmd+I / Ctrl+I)
4. Utilizing the integrated terminal with AI assistance
5. Debugging code and fixing linter error with Cursor

Hands-On Lab

1. Explore an unfamiliar codebase using Cursor Chat and codebase indexing
2. Fix a bug using inline edits and terminal error pasting

Automating Development Tasks

1. Large-scale code generation and refactoring
2. Automated documentation generation
3. Writing unit tests and integration tests with Claude
4. Investigating build errors and test failures
5. Managing Git workflows within the editor

Hands-On Lab

Use Cursor to:

1. Implement a multi-file feature using Composer
2. Generate tests for a new feature
3. Review and Commit changes

Customizing Cursor

1. Using configuration files and .cursorrules
2. Defining project-specific coding standards and rules
3. Managing custom system prompts
4. Customizing Cursor’s AI behavior per project
5. Managing extensions and VS Code compatibility

Hands-On Lab

1. Create .cursorrules file to guide AI code generation behavior
2. Setup custom documentation links (@Docs) for the AI to reference

Advanced Workflows and Agentic Editing

1. AI orchestration in the editor
2. Multi-file refactoring agents
3. Utilizing @ symbols for advanced context pinning (Files, Folders, Web, Git_
4. Managing context windows and token usage

Hands-On Lab

1. Build and execute a complex, multi-file refactoring workflow using Composer Agent model

Best Practices for Using Cursor

1. Structuring prompts for accurate code generation
2. Managing context effectively (avoiding context pollution)
3. Ensuring secure handling of proprietary code
4. Model selection: Cost, speed, and performance considerations