How To Use Cursor's Composer + Control Panel

Mckay Wrigley
13 Aug 202403:35

TLDRThe video demonstrates how to use Cursor's Composer and Control Panel to enhance coding efficiency. It showcases the process of modularizing a chat input component from a large file using natural language commands. The video highlights Cursor's ability to automatically create and edit files, offering a hands-off coding experience that simplifies complex multi-file edits, making it an invaluable tool for developers.

Takeaways

  • 📝 Cursor's Composer is a standout feature in AI coding tools, offering advanced capabilities in code generation and editing.
  • 🔑 The control panel view of the Composer can be accessed using the shortcut 'Shift + Command + E', which is a preferred method for many users.
  • 🛠️ The script demonstrates using the Composer to modularize code by creating a separate component from existing code, streamlining the development process.
  • 📑 The Composer handles file creation and editing tasks autonomously, reducing the need for manual coding and increasing efficiency.
  • 🔍 It provides a diff view and a suggested code view, allowing developers to review changes and accept or reject them at the file level.
  • 🔄 The script showcases an iterative editing process where the Composer can make successive edits based on developer feedback.
  • 👌 The ability to accept all changes or reject them individually offers flexibility in managing code modifications.
  • 🔍 The script identifies a minor import error and a focus logic issue, highlighting the Composer's capacity to handle and correct such issues.
  • 🔧 The final part of the script shows the Composer fixing the issues and integrating the new component into the existing codebase seamlessly.
  • 💬 By using natural language commands, the entire feature was implemented without writing any code, showcasing the power of Cursor's Composer.
  • 🌟 The video aims to raise awareness of the Composer's capabilities, as it's a lesser-known but highly useful tool in the AI coding space.

Q & A

  • What is the feature being discussed in the video script?

    -The feature being discussed is Cursor's Composer, specifically its use in the control panel view, which is a relatively new and advanced feature in the AI coding space.

  • How is the composer typically initiated in Cursor?

    -The composer in Cursor is usually initiated by using the command 'Command + E', which opens the composer at the bottom of the screen.

  • What is the speaker's preference for opening the composer in Cursor?

    -The speaker prefers using 'Shift + Command + E', which opens the composer in the control panel view.

  • What does the speaker want to achieve by using the composer in the control panel view?

    -The speaker wants to make the chat input in the page more modular by creating it as a separate component using the composer.

  • How does the composer help in creating a new component?

    -The composer extracts the relevant code from the .tsx file and creates a new component in its own file, handling file creation and editing for the user.

  • What indicators does the control panel view provide during the editing process?

    -The control panel view provides indicators on both the left and right sides, showing what is being generated and the changes being applied.

  • What options does the user have for accepting or rejecting changes in the composer?

    -The user can accept or reject changes at the file level for both the suggested code view and the diff view, or they can hit 'accept all' once the process finishes.

  • What issue did the speaker encounter after the composer created the new component?

    -The speaker encountered an import error and a focus issue where the input ref was not currently focused after the new component was created.

  • How does the speaker address the import error and focus issue?

    -The speaker goes back into the composer and asks for an edit to handle the focus logic with the new component, which the composer then correctly implements.

  • What is the final outcome of using the composer in the control panel view as described in the script?

    -The final outcome is that the speaker achieves the desired functionality of the chat input component without writing any code, simply by instructing Cursor in natural language.

  • Why does the speaker believe that more people should be aware of this feature?

    -The speaker believes that more people should be aware of this feature because it allows for complex multi-file edits and can significantly streamline the coding process.

Outlines

00:00

🛠️ Cursor's Composer Feature in AI Coden Space

The video script introduces the advanced capabilities of Cursor's composer, particularly its use in the control panel view. The narrator demonstrates how to leverage this feature to modularize a large file by creating a separate component for chat input. The process involves using natural language commands to instruct the AI to extract relevant code from a .tsx file and generate a new component file. The composer automates file creation, code editing, and integrates changes, offering a diff view and the ability to accept or reject edits at the file level. The script also touches on minor issues encountered, such as import errors and focus logic, and how the composer can be used to iteratively resolve them, showcasing the efficiency of using AI to perform complex code refactoring tasks without manual coding.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cursor's Composer

Cursor's Composer is a feature that allows developers to generate code through natural language instructions. In the video, it is highlighted as a state-of-the-art tool in the AI coding space, enabling the creation of modular components with minimal manual coding. The script demonstrates how to use the Composer to extract a chat input section from a larger file and create a separate component, showcasing its ability to automate file creation and code editing.

💡Control Panel View

The Control Panel View is a user interface element in Cursor that provides an alternative way to interact with the Composer. It is mentioned in the script as a preferred method for initiating the Composer, offering a more organized and efficient workflow for developers. The video shows how this view can be used to make iterative edits and manage code changes effectively.

💡Modular

Modularity in software development refers to the practice of designing a system with separate, interchangeable components. In the context of the video, the author aims to make the codebase more modular by creating a separate component for the chat input functionality. This approach simplifies maintenance and enhances the scalability of the application.

💡Component

In the realm of software development, especially within frameworks like React, a component is a reusable piece of code that forms the building blocks of a user interface. The video demonstrates the process of creating a new component from existing code, which is a way to organize and encapsulate functionality within an application.

💡File Creation

File creation is the process of generating a new file within a project. In the script, the Cursor's Composer automates this process by creating a new file for the chat input component. This automation is a significant time-saver for developers, as it eliminates the need for manual file setup.

💡Natural Language

Natural language refers to the everyday spoken and written language that humans use to communicate. In the video, the author interacts with Cursor's Composer using natural language instructions, which the tool then translates into code. This interaction model is a key feature of AI-driven coding assistants, aiming to make coding more accessible.

💡Iterative Edits

Iterative edits are a series of incremental changes made to a piece of work, often used in software development to refine and improve code. The video script describes how the Control Panel View in Cursor allows for iterative edits, providing a smooth workflow for developers to make and review changes progressively.

💡Diff View

A diff view, short for 'difference view', is a way to visualize the changes made to a file or codebase. In the video, the author uses the diff view in Cursor's Composer to review the modifications suggested by the tool, which helps in understanding and accepting or rejecting the proposed edits.

💡Accept and Reject

In the context of version control and code review, accepting and rejecting refer to the actions of approving or declining changes to a codebase. The script mentions the ability to accept or reject changes at the file level in Cursor's Composer, giving developers control over the modifications suggested by the AI.

💡Focus Logic

Focus logic in user interface programming is the code responsible for managing which element has the input focus, allowing users to type or interact with it. The video describes a scenario where the focus logic needs to be adjusted after the chat input is made into a separate component, ensuring that the new component functions correctly.

💡Multi-file Edits

Multi-file edits involve making changes that span across multiple files within a project. The video script highlights Cursor's Composer's capability to handle complex edits across multiple files, which is a testament to its advanced functionality and the efficiency it brings to the coding process.

Highlights

Cursor's Composer is a highly innovative feature in the AI coding space.

Using the Composer in the control panel view is a more advanced approach.

Shift command E opens the Composer in the control panel view.

The AI chat app is a large file with 402 lines of code.

Composer can modularize code by creating components from existing code.

File creation and edits are automated by the Composer.

The control panel view provides indicators for generated and edited code.

Accept and reject changes at the file level or accept all once.

After accepting changes, the chat input is now a component.

A slight import error was fixed by importing the component correctly.

The input ref was not focused, requiring an additional edit.

Iterative edits can be made in the Composer for a refined result.

The focus logic was successfully handled with the new component.

The chat functionality works flawlessly after the edits.

Cursor Composer allows for complex multi-file edits without writing code.

The video aims to raise awareness about the capabilities of Cursor's Composer.

Create Stunning AI Art Instantly

No login. No cost. Just incredible AI images !

Create Stunning AI Art InstantlyGenerate Now