Cursor - A Better Visual Studio Code/Copilot?

Gamefromscratch
11 Apr 202411:07

TLDRCursor is a new code editor, a fork of Visual Studio Code, designed to integrate AI coding assistants more seamlessly than GitHub Copilot. It offers features like inline code translation and chat integration with customizable AI models and privacy settings. Despite being a release behind Visual Studio Code, Cursor provides a more intuitive AI-focused experience, with a free tier and paid options for faster response times and additional features.

Takeaways

  • 😀 Cursor is a new code editor that is a fork of Visual Studio Code, focused on AI coding assistants.
  • 🔧 It is described as a 'co-pilot plus Visual Studio Code alternative', offering a more integrated experience than extensions.
  • 🎨 The interface of Cursor is considered more user-friendly than that of GitHub Copilot.
  • 📅 Cursor is based on Visual Studio Code version 1.86, which is one release behind the latest as of the video recording.
  • 🔄 Extensions from the Visual Studio marketplace are available in Cursor, maintaining compatibility with existing tools.
  • 🗝️ Hotkeys Ctrl+K and Ctrl+L are central to Cursor's functionality, enabling chat and inline code instructions.
  • 🆓 There is a free version of Cursor with limited requests per month, and options to use personal API keys for free.
  • 💰 Pricing tiers offer more extensive features and faster responses, with a Pro version at $20/month.
  • 🔒 Privacy mode is available, ensuring no code is stored on Cursor's servers, though prompts may be logged.
  • 🛠️ Settings allow customization of AI behavior, including language preferences and model selection.
  • 📝 Cursor's single-tab autocomplete feature is praised for its ease of use compared to GitHub Copilot.

Q & A

  • What is Cursor and how does it relate to Visual Studio Code?

    -Cursor is a code editor that is a fork of Visual Studio Code, making it a Visual Studio alternative. It's designed with AI coding assistants at its core, providing a more integrated experience compared to extensions like GitHub Copilot.

  • What is the main feature that differentiates Cursor from other code editors?

    -The main feature of Cursor is its deep integration with AI coding assistants. It is built entirely around the concept of AI pairs programming, offering a more seamless experience than using AI as an extension.

  • What is the version of Visual Studio Code that Cursor is based on?

    -Cursor is based on Visual Studio Code version 1.86, which is a patch from the February release.

  • Are all the extensions available in Visual Studio Code also available in Cursor?

    -Yes, Cursor includes all the extensions available in Visual Studio Code, ensuring compatibility with various programming languages and tools.

  • How does Cursor handle AI integration with user's own API keys?

    -Cursor allows users to provide their own API keys for AI services like OpenAI or Anthropic. This enables users to integrate their preferred AI models without incurring additional costs to Cursor.

  • What are the hotkeys in Cursor used for accessing AI functionalities?

    -The hotkeys Ctrl + L and Ctrl + K are used in Cursor for accessing AI functionalities. Ctrl + L opens the command chat, while Ctrl + K is used for inline code instructions.

  • What is the 'Co-Pilot Plus+' feature in Cursor and how does it differ from GitHub Copilot?

    -Co-Pilot Plus+ is Cursor's integrated AI coding assistant. Unlike GitHub Copilot, which is an extension, Co-Pilot Plus+ is built into Cursor, offering a more integrated and seamless experience.

  • How does Cursor handle user privacy?

    -Cursor offers a privacy mode where it does not store any of the user's code on its servers or logs. However, it's important to note that prompts may still be stored by the AI service being used.

  • What are the pricing options for using Cursor's AI features?

    -Cursor offers a free tier with limited chat GPT requests and slower responses. For faster responses and more requests, users can upgrade to the Pro tier at $20 per month, which includes unlimited features but caps the number of fast chat GPT 4 uses.

  • What is the 'Single Tab to Complete' feature in Cursor?

    -The 'Single Tab to Complete' feature in Cursor allows users to complete code suggestions with a single tab press, making it a more efficient coding experience compared to traditional autocomplete methods.

  • Can Cursor be used without any cost?

    -Yes, Cursor can be used for free with some limitations, such as slower response times and fewer AI requests. Users can also use their own chat GPT key to avoid additional costs.

Outlines

00:00

🖥️ Cursor: An AI-Integrated Code Editor

The video introduces Cursor, a new code editor that is essentially a fork of Visual Studio Code with a deep integration of AI coding assistants. It is described as a more user-friendly alternative to co-pilot, offering a more seamless experience. The editor is built around the concept of AI pairs programming with a feature called co-pilot Plus+. It is based on Visual Studio Code 1.86, a February release, and comes with all standard extensions available. The interface has been updated, and the focus is on AI capabilities with hotkeys Ctrl K and Ctrl L for command chat and inline code instructions, respectively. The editor also allows for customization of AI behavior and can work with personal API keys for services like OpenAI, providing an alternative to the free version with limited requests per month.

05:01

🔄 Cursor's AI Capabilities and Pricing

The second paragraph delves into Cursor's AI features, demonstrating its ability to translate code and perform tasks through a chat interface integrated into the terminal. It highlights the editor's single-tab completion for code, which is considered an improvement over the multiple tabs required by co-pilot. The video also discusses the performance, noting that the free version uses a slower model of chat GPT 4, which can be upgraded for a faster experience with a paid subscription. Cursor offers a free tier with limited chat GPT requests, a Pro tier at $20/month for 500 fast chat GPT responses, and a business tier for centralized administration. The video mentions that Cursor is about a month and a half behind Visual Studio in terms of updates.

10:04

🛠️ Cursor's User Experience and Integration

The final paragraph emphasizes Cursor's intuitive user experience, with easy-to-remember hotkeys and non-intrusive prompts guiding the user through its features. It reiterates that Cursor is designed for those who are invested in AI coding assistants, suggesting that it offers a more polished and integrated experience compared to co-pilot. The video concludes by encouraging viewers to share their thoughts and provides a sign-off, indicating that Cursor is a worthwhile option for those already using Visual Studio Code with AI assistants.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cursor

Cursor is a code editor that is a fork of Visual Studio Code, meaning it is based on the same source code but has been modified to include unique features. In the context of the video, Cursor is highlighted as an alternative to Visual Studio Code and the AI coding assistant, Copilot. It is designed to be more tightly integrated with AI coding assistance, offering a different experience compared to using Copilot as a separate extension.

💡Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code, often abbreviated as VS Code, is a popular free source-code editor made by Microsoft. It supports a wide array of programming languages and is known for its customizable features and extensions. In the video, VS Code is mentioned as the original base from which Cursor was forked, emphasizing the similarities and differences between the two.

💡AI coding assistant

An AI coding assistant is a tool that uses artificial intelligence to assist in the coding process, such as by suggesting code completions, identifying errors, or even writing code snippets. The video discusses Cursor's focus on integrating such AI assistants deeply into the code editing experience, making it a central feature of the editor.

💡Co-Pilot

In the script, Co-Pilot refers to the AI coding assistant developed by GitHub and OpenAI. It is mentioned as a separate extension for VS Code, which Cursor aims to improve upon by offering a more integrated experience. The term 'Co-Pilot Plus+' is used to describe Cursor's enhanced version of the AI assistant.

💡Fork

In software development, a fork is a copy of a repository that allows developers to work on and modify the code without affecting the original project. The video explains that Cursor is a fork of Visual Studio Code, indicating that it started as a copy of VS Code and has since been developed with additional features.

💡Extensions

Extensions in the context of code editors like VS Code and Cursor are additional software components that add functionality to the editor. The script mentions that Cursor, like VS Code, supports extensions, ensuring that users can customize their coding environment to support various programming languages and tools.

💡Hotkeys

Hotkeys are keyboard shortcuts that allow users to perform actions more quickly within a software application. The video script describes specific hotkeys in Cursor, such as 'Control K' and 'Control L', which are used to activate AI coding assistant features like inline code actions and chat-based explanations.

💡API keys

An API key is a unique code that allows developers to access and use external software services or data. In the video, it is mentioned that users can use their own API keys for AI services like OpenAI, allowing for integration with Cursor without incurring additional costs.

💡Chat GPT

Chat GPT refers to a specific model of AI developed by OpenAI that can engage in conversation and generate human-like text. The video discusses the use of Chat GPT within Cursor, highlighting the different tiers of access based on the user's subscription level, which affects the speed and number of requests that can be made.

💡Pricing

The video script outlines the pricing structure for Cursor's AI coding assistant features. It mentions a free tier with limited access to certain AI functionalities and paid tiers that offer more extensive use of features like 'Chat GPT' at a faster response rate.

💡Self-hosted

Self-hosting refers to the practice of hosting a service or application on one's own servers rather than relying on a third-party provider. The script mentions that Cursor is considering the option of allowing users to run their servers self-hosted in the future, which could provide more control and privacy for users.

Highlights

Cursor is a new code editor, a fork of Visual Studio Code, integrated with AI coding assistants.

It is designed as an alternative to Visual Studio Code and Copilot, offering a more tightly integrated experience.

Cursor is built around the concept of AI pairs programming, making it easier to work with compared to Copilot.

Based on Visual Studio Code 1.86, Cursor is one release behind but includes all standard extensions.

Users can utilize hotkeys Ctrl+K and Ctrl+L for AI-assisted coding and chat functionality.

Cursor offers a free version with a limited number of AI requests per month and options for using personal API keys.

It allows for specifying models and integrating with various AI platforms like OpenAI, Anthropic, or custom models.

Cursor includes privacy mode and the ability to set domain-specific rules for AI responses.

Users can control the AI's behavior with settings like always using the web for searches or specific language preferences.

Cursor features inline code assistance with Ctrl+K, allowing for direct AI interaction with lines of code.

The editor can translate code and fix linting errors, streamlining the coding process with AI assistance.

Cursor's single-tab completion is a more intuitive approach compared to the multiple taps required by Copilot.

Pricing options range from free with limitations to a Pro level at $20/month for more extensive AI capabilities.

Cursor stores no code on their servers in privacy mode, ensuring user data remains secure.

The editor is designed for those who are heavily invested in AI coding assistants, offering a more integrated workflow.

Cursor's integration with terminals allows for AI-assisted command execution, enhancing the development experience.

For users already using Visual Studio Code with AI assistants, Cursor offers a more polished and integrated solution.

Cursor's pricing model includes a self-hosting option in the future, providing flexibility for corporate environments.

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