Cursor Composer: MULTI-FILE AI Coding for engineers that SHIP

IndyDevDan
19 Aug 202424:10

TLDRThe video showcases the innovative 'Cursor Composer' feature, a multi-file AI coding tool designed to enhance productivity for engineers. The host demonstrates its capabilities, including editing across multiple files simultaneously, integrating new components, and applying styles with the help of AI models like GPT-4. Despite some initial hiccups, the feature's potential for streamlining complex codebase management is evident, positioning Cursor as a leading AI coding tool alongside AER.

Takeaways

  • 🌟 Cursor Composer is a new multi-file AI coding feature designed to enhance productivity for engineers.
  • 🔍 To enable Cursor Composer, users need to go to settings and enable it under beta Flags.
  • 💡 The feature allows for editing across multiple files simultaneously, which is a significant advancement for AI coding tools.
  • 🛠️ Users can utilize commands to invoke the composer for both small and full-screen versions, adapting to their workflow needs.
  • 📝 The script demonstrates converting variables and components, showcasing the Composer's capability to handle complex coding tasks.
  • 🔗 The feature integrates with chat GPT 4, highlighting the potential for AI models to assist in coding processes.
  • 🎨 Cursor Composer includes an overlay feature for styling components, which can be applied across multiple files for consistency.
  • 🔄 The video transcript illustrates the iterative process of refining code using AI, including fixing errors and adjusting styling.
  • 🔑 Keybindings and keyboard shortcuts are utilized to show and hide the liquid prompt editor, demonstrating the tool's integration with user interface elements.
  • 📚 The script touches on the importance of understanding the capabilities and quirks of different AI models when used with coding tools.
  • 👨‍💻 The video emphasizes the value of Cursor and AER as leading AI coding tools, particularly for mid to senior level engineers dealing with large codebases.
  • 🚀 The introduction of multi-file editing is a game-changer, allowing engineers to work more naturally across numerous files, mirroring real-world coding scenarios.

Q & A

  • What is the main feature discussed in the video about Cursor?

    -The main feature discussed in the video is Cursor's new composer feature, which is an experimental multi-file editing feature.

  • How can one enable the Cursor composer feature?

    -To enable the Cursor composer feature, go to your settings, navigate to the beta Flags, and make sure that the composer is enabled.

  • What does the composer feature allow developers to do?

    -The composer feature allows developers to edit multiple files simultaneously, improving productivity and streamlining the coding process.

  • How does the video demonstrate the use of the composer feature?

    -The video demonstrates the use of the composer feature by showing the process of converting variables into input and output fields and applying changes across multiple files.

  • What is the significance of the multi-file editing capability in the composer feature?

    -The multi-file editing capability is significant as it allows developers to make changes across multiple files at once, which is a common scenario in large code bases, thus enhancing productivity.

  • What is the role of the AI model in the composer feature?

    -The AI model, such as GPT-4 or Codex, plays a crucial role in understanding the developer's prompts and making the necessary changes in the code files as per the developer's instructions.

  • How does the video show the integration of AI with the IDE for coding?

    -The video shows the integration by using the AI model to interpret prompts and make changes to the code, demonstrating how AI can assist in coding tasks within the IDE.

  • What is the importance of testing the capabilities of the AI model used in the composer feature?

    -Testing the capabilities of the AI model is important to understand its strengths and limitations, ensuring that it can perform tasks accurately and efficiently within the composer feature.

  • How does the video address the issue of consistency with different AI models?

    -The video acknowledges that different AI models may have varying levels of consistency and reliability, and it suggests that users should test and choose the model that best fits their needs.

  • What is the recommendation for engineers looking to improve their coding productivity?

    -The recommendation for engineers is to use AI coding tools like Cursor and AER, which focus on the experience of the engineer and are designed to handle large code bases effectively.

  • What is the final verdict on the composer feature's impact on coding productivity?

    -The final verdict is that the composer feature significantly enhances coding productivity by enabling multi-file editing and leveraging the power of AI models to assist in coding tasks.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introduction to Cursor's Composer Feature

The video script introduces a revolutionary AI coding feature developed by the Cursor team, which is led by a single 20x engineer. The feature, known as 'Composer,' allows for multi-file editing, a significant advancement in AI coding. The script details the process of enabling this feature through settings and showcases its capabilities through a demonstration. The Cursor team's new feature is positioned as a game-changer, lacking comprehensive documentation but already making an impact in the AI coding space.

05:03

🛠️ Exploring Multi-File Editing with Cursor Composer

This section delves into the practical application of Cursor's Composer feature, demonstrating how it simplifies the editing process across multiple files. The video script walks through the steps to enable the feature, use it for editing, and integrate it with other components. It highlights the ability to make changes in a full-stack codebase with 22,000 lines of code and 151 files, emphasizing the efficiency gains in handling large-scale projects.

10:04

🎨 Customizing UI with Cursor Composer's Overlay Feature

The script discusses the use of Cursor Composer's overlay feature for UI customization. It describes the process of applying styles from one component to another, using the overlay feature to make simultaneous changes across multiple files. The video demonstrates how to use the feature to mirror the styling of a 'Prompt Editor' in 'Liquid Input' and 'Liquid Output' components, showcasing the power of AI in streamlining front-end development tasks.

15:05

🔧 Refining and Testing AI-Powered Code Editing

This part of the script focuses on refining and testing the code editing process using AI, specifically with the new GPG 40 model. It details the iterative process of making changes, accepting suggestions, and resolving errors. The video script also discusses the integration of the 'make prompt' function for executing prompts directly from the input field, highlighting the hands-off approach to coding enabled by Cursor's AI tools.

20:06

🔄 Debugging and Contextualizing AI Coding with Cursor

The script addresses the debugging process when using AI coding tools, particularly with Cursor's Composer feature. It explains how to resolve issues that arise during the editing of a 'liquid prompt editor' component, including the handling of keystroke events and the management of component context. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding the capabilities of different AI models and the need for precise prompts to achieve desired outcomes.

🌟 Conclusion: The Future of AI Coding with Cursor and AER

In conclusion, the script praises the Cursor team for their innovative Composer feature and positions it alongside AER as leading AI coding tools. It emphasizes the importance of these tools in enhancing the productivity of engineers, especially when working with large codebases. The video script calls for a continued exploration of these tools, advocating for their use in real-world coding scenarios and acknowledging the contributions of both Cursor and AER in advancing the field of AI-assisted development.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI coding

AI coding refers to the use of artificial intelligence to assist in the process of writing and editing code. It's a rapidly evolving field that aims to streamline software development by automating repetitive tasks and providing intelligent suggestions. In the context of the video, AI coding is central to the discussion, as it highlights how Cursor Composer and other tools are leveraging AI to transform the way engineers work, making it faster and more efficient.

💡Cursor Composer

Cursor Composer is a new feature of the Cursor team's AI coding tool. It allows for multi-file editing, which is a significant advancement in coding tools as it enables developers to work across multiple files simultaneously. The video demonstrates how this feature can be used to edit and update code in a more integrated and efficient manner, showcasing its potential to improve productivity in software development.

💡multi-file editing

Multi-file editing is a capability that allows developers to make changes across several files at once, which is particularly useful in large codebases. The video emphasizes the importance of this feature in Cursor Composer, as it mirrors the way developers often work, needing to update multiple files to implement changes effectively.

💡liquid prompt

In the script, 'liquid prompt' seems to refer to a specific component or feature within the Cursor environment that the user is working with. It's used to demonstrate how AI can assist in editing and styling code components, showing the integration of AI with the user interface for coding.

💡DC component

DC component, mentioned in the context of converting an output field, likely stands for 'Dynamic Component' or a similar concept, indicating a modular part of the codebase that can be manipulated and updated independently. The video shows how AI can assist in converting elements into such components, streamlining the development process.

💡context

In the video script, 'context' is used to describe the relevant files or information that the AI is considering when making coding suggestions or edits. It's crucial for the AI to have the correct context to provide accurate and relevant coding assistance, as demonstrated when adding or removing files from the AI's consideration.

💡chat GPT

Chat GPT, as mentioned in the script, seems to refer to a specific model or version of an AI chatbot integrated into the coding environment. It's used to illustrate the AI's ability to understand and execute complex coding tasks based on user prompts, showing the advanced capabilities of AI in coding assistance.

💡styling

Styling in the video refers to the process of defining the appearance of UI components in code. The script discusses how the AI can assist in applying and modifying styles across multiple files, demonstrating the AI's ability to understand and manipulate the presentation layer of software development.

💡keystroke

Keystroke in the script refers to a physical key press on a keyboard, which can be used to trigger actions within the coding environment. The video discusses assigning specific keystrokes to show and hide the liquid prompt editor, indicating a level of customization and interactivity in the development process.

💡ref

Ref, short for 'reference', is a term used in the context of the video to describe a way of linking or importing specific elements or variables into a component. It's part of the process shown in the video where the AI assists in moving parts of the code into their own components for better organization and reusability.

💡production codebase

A production codebase refers to the complete set of source code that is currently in use in a live application. The video emphasizes the capability of Cursor Composer and AI coding tools to work effectively within a production environment, suggesting that these tools are robust and practical for real-world software development.

Highlights

AI coding is revolutionizing software creation with a 20x engineer leading the innovation.

Cursor's new composer feature stands out as a significant advancement in AI coding.

The composer feature is an experimental multi-file editing capability.

Enabling the composer feature is done through Cursor's beta flags.

The composer window can be invoked with a command for a small or full-screen version.

Cursor's composer allows for editing and updating components with AI assistance.

The video demonstrates converting variables using the latest GPT model.

Multi-file editing enables making changes across multiple files simultaneously.

Cursor's composer facilitates the creation and referencing of new components.

The video showcases resolving errors and integrating new files within the composer.

Improving styling of components using cursor's overlay feature is demonstrated.

The video explains how to apply styles from one component to another.

Testing the capabilities of GPT and the composer for code styling and adjustments.

Cursor's composer helps in refining and tweaking UI elements effectively.

The video covers the process of centering UI elements using AI prompts.

Creating a liquid prompt editor component with show/hide functionality.

The demonstration of moving content and scripting into a new component.

Handling keystroke events to show/hide the liquid prompt editor.

Cursor's composer feature is a game-changer for mid to senior-level engineers.

The importance of multi-file editing for large production code bases is emphasized.

A shout out to the Cursor team for their significant contribution to AI coding tools.

Comparing Cursor with AER as leading AI coding tools for engineers.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to share their AI coding experiences.