Become a Cursor Pro: 5 Tips for Better AI Coding

Jon Meyers @jonmeyers_io

AI is changing how we build apps. Tools like Cursor are making it easier to work with AI models. But getting the best results takes skill. Here are five tips to help you become a pro at using Cursor.

Be Specific

When working with Cursor, be clear about what you want. Imagine you are guiding a junior developer. You wouldn’t tell them to just start coding. You’d want them to:

• Make a plan
• Talk to the people involved
• Ask questions

Do the same with Cursor. Instead of saying:

> Build me an app
  

Instead, give details. For example:

> Build me an app where users can vote on topics for YouTube videos. Users get five free votes, then pay $20 per month. Use Next.js and a modern, dark mode design.
  

Give Cursor as much information as possible. If you’re not sure about something, ask Cursor to give you options. For instance:

> What are three payment processing services that offer subscriptions? Why would they be good choices?
  

You can also tell Cursor to ask you questions if it’s not sure how to proceed. This way, you get a detailed plan before building anything.

Save the Plan

Once you have a plan, save it. Ask Cursor to save the plan in a file. This lets you refer back to specific implementation steps in future prompts. You can also share it with your team. Everyone will know what you’re building.

To save your plan, you can say:

> Save this detailed plan in a markdown file called scope.md
  

Start Small

When you start building, begin with small steps. Don’t ask Cursor to build the entire plan at once. This can cause problems. It’s better to focus on one small part at a time.

For example, instead of saying:

> Go build it
  

Instead, say:

> Focus on the first part of phase one: Create a Next.js app.
  

You can even add:

> Only do this one step and then mark it as complete in the scope.md file.
  

This way, you can check that each step works before moving on. If something goes wrong, it’s easier to fix.

After each small step, save your work. Use Git to commit your changes. This gives you a safe point to return to if needed. You can always combine these small changes into one bigger change later.

Fix Errors Like a Pro

You will run into errors. When you do, copy the error message and paste it into Cursor. Ask Cursor to fix it. You don’t need to clean up the error message. Just paste it and say “Fix it.”

To give more information, tell Cursor what you expected to happen and what you’re seeing. You can even take a screenshot of the broken app and share it with Cursor.

If Cursor can’t fix the error, try a different AI model. If you’re using one model, switch to another to see if it can solve the problem.

Provide Additional Context

Give Cursor as much extra information as you can. Share links to documentation or examples of designs you like. Even better, configure an MCP Server to give Cursor access to additional tools.

With the Supabase MCP Server, Cursor is able to understand the shape of your database schema, write migrations, execute SQL queries, and write complex RLS policies to help secure your data.

Conclusion

Using Cursor effectively can greatly improve the quality of your code and increase your productivity. By being specific, saving plans, starting small, handling errors well, and giving context, you can get the most out of this AI tool. These tips will help you code smarter and faster.

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