Cursor AI is the new hot topic in the market. Intending to build an AI human program, the software has attracted not only the audience but also investors from the market. It claims to simplify programming operations by offering impressive coding services. Let’s see how this AI-powered code editor has performed so far.
What is Cursor AI?
Cursor AI is an intelligent code editor with advanced capabilities. Unlike conventional code editors, it not only works on your text but also employs algorithms to understand your code, complete code, find errors, and suggest improvements. This editor is built on VS Code (Visual Studio Code), powered by LLM features.
How Cursor AI Works?
You can think of Cursor AI as your smart coding friend. It helps you work through your code faster and smarter by integrating different AI models, such as GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo, Claude, and a custom cursor-small model.
These models are the brain of Cursor AI; each is trained on a massive code database. Using these databases, it understands the syntax and pattern of your code.
Next, it starts analyzing your codebase while keeping the specific programming language you have used, the structure of the code, its logic, and best practices. Based on this analysis, you can command the Cursor AI to perform a certain task.
Key Features of Cursor AI
- Tab Completing: Cursor AI uses advanced algorithms to complete your code, not your sentences. Plus, it is inspired by the GitHub Copilot, which doesn’t change the game, rather adds an intelligent hook.
- Composer Mode: Cursor AI features a chat-based composer mode that allows for inline edits. In this mode, you can modify the set of files and make requests. Press Ctrl + K and start instructing on how the code should be changed.
- Agent Mode: The agent mode of Cursor AI automatically completes the tasks end-to-end while the program is already running in the loop. To enable it, just press Ctrl + I and start instructing it. Within this mode, you can find context, automatically fix errors, and run commands.
- Smart Code Improvement: This code editor also offers smart code improvements by refactoring and optimizing your existing sentences. With this function, you can convert loops in your code to list comprehensions, simplify complex conditionals, and eliminate unused variables.
- Debugging Help: You can also use Cursor AI to debug and fix errors. With these codes, you can ensure a faster code completion with fewer typos, cleaner sentences, and quick implementation of new concepts. This way, the developers can focus on solving problems.
- Plain Language Commands: Cursor AI uses natural language models to generate codes in simple text.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Cursor AI
Strengths
- Cussor AI suggests codes in real time by analyzing your input (its style, patterns, and logic).
- This code editor helps you enhance the quality of code by detecting errors and debugging them in one click.
- Cursor AI is built with context awareness in mind. For instance, if you are working on an API, it will give you suggestions related to the API mechanism and its specific libraries.
- Cursor offers cross-language support. So, whether you are coding in JavaScript, Python, or any other language, you can refine it with this code editor.
- Cursor AI offers flexible customization options (integrating specific libraries and modifying the user interface) to match your work style.
Weaknesses
- Though the initial setup is straightforward, the advanced features are challenging to navigate.
- It might show inconsistent results with some models. A few users have complained about failed code edits while using it with Google Gemini.
- Cursor AI might slow down when working with large codebases or massive requests.
How Much Does Cursor AI Cost?
Cursor AI offers various flexible subscription options, in addition to a free trial. Here is a breakdown of its pricing.
- Free version (2-week trial with limited agent requests and tab completions).
- Individual Pro Plan: $20/ month, $16/ month (yearly).
- Individual Ultra Plan: $200/ month.
- Teams Plan: $40/ per user per month, $32 per user per month (yearly)
- Enterprise Plan: custom plans, contact sales.
Visit the Cursor AI pricing page to learn more about the subscription plans.
How Cursor AI Performs in Comparison with Traditional Code Editors?
Unlike a traditional code editor, Cursor AI is not just limited to changing code but rather performs advanced operations like optimizing code, suggesting feedback, and finding errors.
- Code Completion: Conventional code editors rely heavily on pre-defined patterns and simple pattern recognition to complete your code. Whereas, Cursor AI goes a step further and uses machine learning to predict your code and its nuances.
- Debugging: With traditional code editors, you have to run the code to detect errors. However, Cursor AI can identify potential issues in real time as the code is in the loop (when you are writing). It helps you reduce the debugging time.
- AI Assistance: Cursor AI acts as your instructor, offering solutions, insights, and optimization suggestions for your code. In comparison, the traditional code editors leave this responsibility to the developer.
Best Practices with Cursor AI
To make the most of Cursor AI, here are a few tips and tricks.
- Don’t get intimidated by the Cursor AI’s suggestions. You might be surprised how these suggestions can lead to efficient and cleaner code with minimal annoying bugs.
- Give as much information to the Cursor as you can. This way, it can better understand your code and offer optimized suggestions.
- Always use its customization kit to personalize codes. Experiment with different configurations to see different versions of refined codes.
Wrapping Up!
Although many were sceptical about the promises Cursor AI made, it has certainly outdone itself. Sources maintain that OpenAI is actively approaching Anysphere, the parent company of Cursor AI, to buy the product. However, with the company’s current valuation at $2.5 billion, we can hope for significant improvements in the current model.
