Using Cursor Properly = Fast, Clean Code Using It Wrong = A Week Cleaning Up AI Spaghetti
Here’s how to use it the right way:
Set 5–10 clear project rules in advance so Cursor understands your structure and constraints. Try creating or generating rules for an existing codebase.
Be specific with prompts. Clearly describe the tech stack, behaviors, and constraints—treat it like a mini spec.
Work file by file; generate, test, and review in small, focused chunks.
Write tests first. Lock down tests, and don’t generate code until they pass.
Always check AI output and fix anything that breaks—then tell Cursor to treat those fixes as examples.
Use @file, @folders, @git to limit Cursor’s attention to the right parts of the codebase.
Keep design docs and task lists inside .cursor/, so the agent has full context on what needs to happen next.
If the code is wrong, just write it yourself. Cursor learns faster from edits than from explanations.
Use chat history to repeat old prompts without starting from scratch.
Pick your model deliberately. Gemini aims for precision; Claude for breadth.
For new or unfamiliar stacks, paste in documentation links. Let Cursor explain every error line by line and fix them.
Let large projects index overnight, and limit context scope to keep things fast.
Structure and control win (for now).
Treat the Cursor agent like a powerful junior developer—if you give it direction, it can go further, faster.
