| Cursor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Anysphere |
| Initial release | 2023; 3 years ago (2023) |
| Stable release | |
| Written in | TypeScript |
| Operating system | |
| Type | Integrated development environment |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | cursor.com |
Cursor is anAI-assistedintegrated development environment forWindows,macOS, andLinux. It is a fork ofVisual Studio Code with additional AI features. Cursor isproprietary software and developed byAnysphere, a San Francisco-based startup company founded in 2022.[2]
Cursor useslarge language models to manipulate text withautocomplete and chat query function. It is afork ofVisual Studio Code.[2] Several media outlets have described Cursor as avibe coding app.[3][4][5][6]
Cursor allows developers to produce code from natural language instructions. Users can generate or update parts of their code by providing prompts.[2] It can also index the codebase, which can be queried in natural language.[7] The editor offers "smart rewrite" capabilities, allowing users to change multiple lines of code simultaneously.[8]
In April 2025, Cursor experienced a bug preventing the use of the software on multiple devices at once. A Cursor customer support email using AI-generated responsesfalsely cited a policy prohibiting a single subscription license from being used on multiple devices for security reasons, and falsely stated that a separate subscription had to be purchased for each device. Amid criticism of the new "policy" onReddit, an Anysphere spokesperson issued a retraction clarifying that no such policy existed, and that it was an erroneous response from a "front-line AI support bot".[9]
Cursor's service model is great for "vibe coding[10]" and has the ability to leverage large language models (LLMs) for developers to build complex software systems. Cursor's features enable multi-line code manipulation and deep codebase analysis in order to build these systems. However, newer warnings from Cursor's CEO indicate that vibe coding can lead to unstable codebase foundations and should be carefully watched for technical debt.[11]
