Let's explore advanced techniques that separate casual users from power users.

Agent Mode

Cursor's Agent mode (in Composer) goes beyond code generation. It can:

• Run terminal commands (npm install, database migrations)
• Create and modify configuration files
• Read error output and fix issues automatically
• Chain multiple steps together

Example: "Set up Prisma with a PostgreSQL database. Create User and Post models with a one-to-many relationship. Run the migration and generate the client."

Agent mode will execute each step, reading output and adjusting if errors occur.

Multi-Cursor AI Edits

A unique Cursor feature: make the same AI-powered edit at multiple locations simultaneously.

1. Select multiple similar code blocks (Cmd+D to select next occurrence)
2. Press Cmd+K
3. Describe the change once
4. All selected blocks are updated consistently

Debugging with AI

When you encounter an error:

1. Copy the error message
2. Press Cmd+L (Chat)
3. Paste the error — Cursor automatically finds the relevant file
4. Ask "Fix this error" — Cursor proposes a fix with full context

Or use Cmd+K on the problematic code: "This throws a TypeError when the array is empty — fix it"

Code Review with AI

Before committing:

• Open Chat and ask "Review the changes in my current git diff for bugs and improvements"
• Use @git to reference specific commits
• Ask Cursor to generate commit messages based on your changes

Terminal Integration

Cursor's terminal has AI built in:

• Cmd+K in the terminal to describe what command you need
• "Find all TypeScript files that import from the old API client"
• "Run the test suite and show only failures"

Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

When AI Doesn't Help

Not every task benefits from AI. Be thoughtful about when to use it:

• Use AI: Boilerplate, repetitive patterns, unfamiliar APIs, tests, documentation
• Code manually: Critical algorithms, security-sensitive code, complex state management, creative architecture decisions

The best developers use AI as a force multiplier, not a replacement for understanding the code they ship.