Complete Guide to Cursor AI Features
Introduction
Cursor Editor stands out from traditional IDEs with its powerful AI capabilities. This comprehensive guide will help you master all of Cursor's AI features, making you more productive and efficient in your development workflow.
Note: Cursor's AI features are powered by advanced language models and are continuously improving. This guide covers the latest stable features.
AI Chat
The AI Chat feature is your intelligent coding companion:
Key Features
- Context-aware code discussions
- Multi-file awareness
- Code generation suggestions
- Error resolution assistance
Usage Tips
- Use
Ctrl+Kto open chat - Highlight code for specific questions
- Ask for step-by-step explanations
- Request code examples
Code Completion
Advanced code completion that understands context:
Features
- Multi-line completion
- Context-aware suggestions
- Function completion
- Import suggestions
Activation
- Automatic suggestions
Alt+/for manual trigger- Tab to accept suggestions
- Esc to dismiss
Code Explanation
Get instant explanations of complex code:
Capabilities
- Line-by-line explanations
- Function behavior analysis
- Algorithm breakdowns
- Variable usage clarification
How to Use
- Highlight code section
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+I - Review explanation
- Ask follow-up questions
AI Refactoring
Intelligent code refactoring suggestions:
Refactoring Types
- Code optimization
- Pattern implementation
- Function extraction
- Variable renaming
Best Practices
- Review suggestions carefully
- Test after refactoring
- Keep code style consistent
- Document changes
Test Generation
Automatically generate test cases:
Test Types
- Unit tests
- Integration tests
- Edge cases
- Mock data
Framework Support
- Jest
- Mocha
- PyTest
- JUnit
Documentation
AI-powered documentation generation:
Documentation Types
- Function documentation
- Class documentation
- API documentation
- README generation
Style Support
- JSDoc
- Python docstrings
- XML comments
- Markdown
AI-Assisted Debugging
Smart debugging suggestions and error analysis:
Features
- Error analysis
- Fix suggestions
- Runtime debugging
- Performance optimization
Usage Tips
- Provide error context
- Show stack traces
- Explain expected behavior
- Test suggested fixes
Best Practices
Tips for getting the most out of Cursor's AI features:
General Tips
- Be specific in queries
- Provide context
- Review AI suggestions
- Keep code organized
Common Pitfalls
- Overreliance on AI
- Ignoring code standards
- Skipping code review
- Not testing AI suggestions
Pro Tip: Combine multiple AI features for the best results. For example, use AI Chat to understand code, then use refactoring to improve it.