This is a lightweight guide to walk you through the installation of Cursor, a powerful AI-powered code editor.
Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on VS Code that integrates ChatGPT-like assistance directly into the development workflow.
It helps developers write, refactor, and understand code faster by combining an IDE with conversational AI.
Agent Responses on this page are illustrative. Exact phrasing from your AI
model may vary depending on the model, settings, and repository context.
Cursor indexes your project folder by default to provide context for assistance. Avoid storing API keys, credentials, or other sensitive material in the folder, at risk of compromise.
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Hello Cursor!
Let’s start our very first Cursor chat with a simple query that does not make any changes to your files:
Toggle the AI Pane to open a new Chat window
In your new chat, run a quick, non-destructive check:
Copy
Ask AI
Explain this repository and list the top-level folders.
In Cursor, you can switch between modes and models right from the IDE to best fit your use case.
Modes: Choose how Cursor works for you
Agent (autonomous assistant, can propose or apply multi-file edits)
Ask (read-only mode for exploration and Q&A, without editing files)
Manual (precise, targeted edits)
Custom (user-defined workflows)
Models: Configure which AI model powers each mode to optimize for speed, accuracy, or cost depending on your task.
Explore Cursor’s Agent Overview to learn how the agent operates during coding sessions depending on your choice of mode or model
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Cursor MCP Support
While Cursor is powerful on its own, its capabilities expand further with Model Context Protocol (MCP). MCP allows Cursor to connect to external systems, tools, and data sources—bringing richer context into your development workflow.Chkk’s Upgrade Context MCP Server integrates seamlessly, ensuring you get the Minimal Relevant Context (MRC) needed to safely upgrade your Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC).