Vibe Coding with Cursor AI

Cursor distinguishes itself from traditional code editors through its deep integration of AI capabilities. Rather than treating AI as a separate tool or plugin, Cursor weaves AI throughout the entire coding experience. This fundamental design philosophy makes it exceptionally well-suited for vibe coding—where the human and machine work in harmony to build applications.

The core features that make Cursor exceptional for vibe coding include intelligent code completion, context-aware suggestions, and the ability to generate entire functions or components based on natural language descriptions. More importantly, Cursor's Composer feature allows you to describe changes in plain English and watch as the AI implements them across your codebase.

Key Features for Vibe Coders

• AI-Powered Code Completion: Cursor learns your coding patterns and suggests completions that align with your style and project conventions.
• Composer Mode: Write descriptions of what you want to build, and Cursor generates the code automatically.
• Natural Language Programming: Describe bugs or improvements in plain English, and Cursor fixes them intelligently.
• Context-Aware Chat: Ask Cursor questions about your code, and it provides answers based on your entire project context.
• Multi-file Editing: Make changes across multiple files simultaneously with AI guidance.
• Familiar VS Code Interface: Cursor is built on VS Code's foundation, so if you know VS Code, you already know most of Cursor.

Let's walk through building a real project with Cursor: a task management application. This example demonstrates how to use Cursor effectively for vibe coding.

Phase 1: Planning and Setup

Start by creating a new React project. You can use Cursor's integrated terminal to run commands like `npx create-react-app task-manager`. Once your project is set up, open the folder in Cursor and you're ready to begin building.

Phase 2: Building Components with AI

Open the command palette (Ctrl+K) and describe the first component you want to build. For example: "Create a TaskList component that displays an array of tasks as a list. Each task should show its title and completion status. Add a checkbox to toggle completion."

Cursor will generate a React component that does exactly what you described. You can refine the code by asking for changes: "Add a delete button next to each task" or "Make the completed tasks appear with a strikethrough".

Phase 3: Integrating State Management

As your application grows, you'll need state management. Ask Cursor to help set up state for your tasks. You might say: "Add useState to manage a list of tasks. Add functions to add, delete, and toggle tasks. Wire up the TaskList component to this state."

Cursor will intelligently integrate state management into your application, creating the necessary hooks and functions to manage your data.

Phase 4: Styling and Polish

Once functionality is in place, refine the visual appearance. Ask Cursor to add styling: "Style the application with Tailwind CSS. Make the layout responsive. Add a nice color scheme with purples and blues."

Cursor will apply styling across your components, creating a polished, visually appealing application.

• Be Specific in Your Prompts: The more detailed your request, the better Cursor's suggestions.
• Provide Context: Share code snippets or file references so Cursor understands your project structure.
• Iterate and Refine: Vibe coding is conversational. Start with a basic implementation and refine through multiple iterations.
• Use the @ Symbol: Reference files or functions explicitly to keep Cursor's attention focused.
• Trust the AI, But Verify: Review generated code to ensure it aligns with your vision and best practices.
• Experiment Freely: Use Cursor's undo capabilities to experiment without fear of breaking your code.