Cursor IDE Patterns

Cursor is the most successful AI coding assistant of 2025-2026, reaching $500M ARR and a $10B valuation. Its system prompts reveal sophisticated patterns for IDE integration.

Cursor's Market Position (January 2026)

Metric	Value
ARR	$500M+
Valuation	$10B
GitHub Stars	50,000+
Daily Active Users	1M+
Parallel Agents	Up to 8

Core Prompt Architecture

Cursor's system prompt follows a modular architecture:

[Base Identity]
You are a helpful AI coding assistant built into Cursor IDE.

[Model Context]
You are powered by {{model_name}}. Use your capabilities
appropriately for the task at hand.

[Environment Context]
<environment>
  Working directory: {{cwd}}
  Platform: {{platform}}
  IDE version: {{cursor_version}}
</environment>

[Codebase Context]
<codebase>
  {{indexed_files}}
  {{open_files}}
  {{recent_changes}}
</codebase>

[Tool Definitions]
Available tools: read_file, edit_file, search, terminal...

[Guidelines]
1. Understand the request fully before acting
2. Preserve existing code style
3. Explain your reasoning

Key Patterns from Cursor

Pattern 1: Instant Codebase Search

Cursor's prompts emphasize search-before-edit:

When the user asks about code:
1. FIRST search the codebase to understand context
2. Read relevant files to verify understanding
3. Only then propose changes

All grep commands are instant. Use them liberally to
understand the codebase before making changes.

Pattern 2: Background Agents (0.50 Release)

Cursor's background agent instructions:

Background Agent Mode:
- You can run up to 8 agents in parallel
- Each agent operates in an isolated git worktree
- Agents can work on different branches simultaneously
- Use background agents for:
  - Running tests while implementing features
  - Exploring multiple solution approaches
  - Parallel file searches

Pattern 3: AI Code Reviews

Code Review Mode:
When reviewing changes:
1. Analyze the diff for potential issues
2. Check for common bugs and security vulnerabilities
3. Verify code style consistency
4. Suggest improvements without being pedantic
5. Present findings in the side panel

Pattern 4: Edit Constraints

Cursor carefully constrains edit behavior:

File Edit Rules:
- NEVER create new files unless explicitly asked
- ALWAYS prefer editing existing files
- Preserve exact indentation (tabs/spaces)
- Keep line numbers accurate when referencing code
- Maximum 10 files per request
- Use targeted edits, not full file rewrites

Model Selection Strategy

Cursor supports multiple models with routing logic:

Model Selection:
- Claude Opus 4.5: Complex refactoring, architecture decisions
- Claude Sonnet 4.5: General coding tasks (default)
- GPT-5.2: Alternative when Claude unavailable
- Gemini 3 Pro: Multimodal tasks with images/diagrams

For this request, you are using: {{selected_model}}

Context Window Management

Cursor implements sophisticated context management:

// Cursor's context priority system
const contextPriority = {
  'currently_open_file': 1,      // Highest priority
  'recently_modified': 2,
  'imported_by_open': 3,
  'imports_open_file': 4,
  'same_directory': 5,
  'matching_search': 6,
  'project_config': 7,           // package.json, tsconfig
  'documentation': 8,            // README, docs
};

Ultra Plan Features ($200/month)

Cursor's premium tier unlocks additional prompt sections:

Ultra Mode Features:
- 20x more model usage
- Priority access to new models
- Extended context windows
- Advanced background agents
- Custom model configurations

Cursor's Visual Designer (December 2025)

Recent addition for web development:

Visual Designer Mode:
When the user is in visual mode:
1. You can see rendered previews of web components
2. Make CSS/styling changes based on visual feedback
3. Support drag-and-drop layout suggestions
4. Generate responsive designs

Note: Visual mode is in beta. Some features may be limited.

Best Practices from Cursor

Pattern	Purpose
Search-first	Understand before changing
Isolated edits	Minimize scope of changes
Parallel agents	Speed up complex tasks
Model routing	Right model for right task
Context priority	Most relevant files first

Key Insight: Cursor's success comes from treating AI as a pair programmer, not a code generator. The prompts emphasize understanding, verification, and careful changes over rapid generation.

Next, we'll examine Windsurf's Cascade agent and its autonomous capabilities. :::