Using Cursor (Alternative)

Hit your Claude Code session limit? No worries! Cursor is an excellent alternative that works similarly but with a visual interface.

What is Cursor?

Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on top of VS Code. Instead of typing in a terminal like Claude Code, you get a full visual editor where you can:

Chat with AI in a sidebar
Highlight code and ask AI to modify it
Generate entire files with natural language
Get inline code suggestions as you type

🖼️

[Screenshot: Cursor editor interface]
The Cursor IDE showing the code editor on the left and AI chat on the right

Why Use Cursor?

Feature	Claude Code	Cursor
Interface	Terminal (command line)	Visual editor (like VS Code)
Learning curve	Steeper for beginners	More familiar if you’ve used any editor
Session limits	Yes (on free tier)	Generous free tier
Code editing	Creates/modifies files	Edit + AI suggestions inline
Best for	Quick projects, automation	Longer coding sessions

Installing Cursor

Step 1: Download Cursor

Go to cursor.com and download the installer for your operating system.

🖼️

[Screenshot: Cursor download page]
The Cursor website with download buttons for Mac, Windows, and Linux

Step 2: Install and Open

Mac: Open the .dmg file and drag Cursor to Applications
Windows: Run the installer and follow the prompts

Open Cursor and create a free account (or sign in with GitHub/Google).

✅ Checkpoint

You should now see the Cursor editor with a welcome screen.

Opening Your Project in Cursor

Click File → Open Folder (or Cmd/Ctrl + O)
Navigate to your project folder
Click Open

You’ll see your project files in the sidebar on the left.

Using AI in Cursor

Method 1: Chat Panel

Press Cmd + L (Mac) or Ctrl + L (Windows) to open the AI chat.

Type your request just like you would in Claude Code:

Create a simple landing page with a header, hero section,
and three feature cards. Use modern CSS with flexbox.

🖼️

[Screenshot: Cursor chat panel]
The AI chat sidebar with a conversation about creating a landing page

Method 2: Inline Editing (Cmd/Ctrl + K)

Select some code (or place your cursor where you want changes)
Press Cmd + K (Mac) or Ctrl + K (Windows)
Type what you want to change

Add a hover effect to this button that scales it up slightly

Cursor will show you a preview of the changes. Press Enter to accept.

Method 3: Tab Autocomplete

As you type code, Cursor suggests completions. Press Tab to accept them.

Cursor Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

Shortcut	Action
`Cmd/Ctrl + L`	Open AI chat panel
`Cmd/Ctrl + K`	Inline AI edit
`Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + L`	Add selection to chat
`Tab`	Accept AI suggestion
`Esc`	Dismiss suggestion
`Cmd/Ctrl + S`	Save file
`Cmd/Ctrl + P`	Quick file search

Example: Building the Same Project

Let’s recreate what we’d do in Claude Code, but in Cursor:

1. Create a New File

Right-click in the sidebar → New File → name it index.html

2. Use AI to Generate Content

With the empty file open, press Cmd/Ctrl + K and type:

Create a personal portfolio page with:
- Hero section with name and tagline
- About section
- Skills section with 4 cards
- Contact section
Use modern CSS, include it in a style tag

3. Preview Your Work

Right-click on index.html → Open with Live Server (if you have the extension)
Or just double-click the file to open it in your browser

4. Make Changes

Want to tweak something? Select the code, press Cmd/Ctrl + K:

Change the color scheme to blue and white

Cursor vs Claude Code: When to Use Which

Use Claude Code when:

You want the fastest path from idea to code
You’re comfortable with the terminal
You need quick automation or scripting
You’re doing a quick prototype

Use Cursor when:

You hit your Claude Code session limit
You prefer a visual interface
You want to edit code manually alongside AI
You’re doing longer coding sessions
You want inline suggestions as you type

Tips for Cursor Success

💡 Cursor Tips:

Be specific in your prompts, just like with Claude Code
Use Cmd/Ctrl + K for quick inline changes
Select context - highlight relevant code before asking AI to modify it
Save often - Cmd/Ctrl + S after accepting AI changes
Use chat for bigger tasks, inline edit for small tweaks

Switching Between Tools

You can use both tools on the same project! Your files are just files on your computer.

Start a project with Claude Code
Hit a session limit
Open the same folder in Cursor
Continue where you left off
Go back to Claude Code later when limits reset