ApplicationDevelopmentClaudeChatGPT

Cursor

Cursor is a code editor (a VS Code fork) designed natively for AI: contextual completion, chat on the code, and agents able to edit multiple files, with a choice between different models (Claude, GPT...) depending on the task. A proprietary product, no public source code.

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Key advantages

An AI experience designed natively, not added as an afterthought
Choice of model depending on the task (Claude, GPT...)
VS Code base, familiar to most developers

Who it's for, and why

Developers who want an IDE entirely designed for AI rather than an extension bolted onto an existing editor.

Daily development with built-in completion and AI chat
Agent-driven multi-file edits
Comparing models depending on the type of task

Getting started

1Download the desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux) from cursor.com/downloads.
2Command-line install: `curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash`.
3Sign in with a Cursor account to choose the AI model used (Claude, GPT...) depending on the task.

Things to watch out for

A closed-source proprietary product, unlike most other development tools in this list (Aider, Continue, VS Code + extensions).
Free plan limited in AI usage; heavier use requires a paid subscription, with tiers that change regularly (check the official pricing page for up-to-date figures).

Frequently asked questions

Is Cursor open source?

No, it's a proprietary product, a fork of VS Code (itself open source) with proprietary AI features added on top.

Can I freely choose my AI model?

Yes, that's a central selling point of the product: switching between Claude, GPT and other models depending on the task, with no need to rewrite your project.

Is there a free plan?

Yes, with limited AI usage; paid tiers unlock heavier use. Check the official pricing page for up-to-date figures, which are subject to change.

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