How to Master Cursor for Rapid Development

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Cursor is a breakthrough AI integrated development environment that enables rapid prototyping via its composer agentic mode.  In this talk I'll cover how to maximize productivity with Cursor from tips and tricks to complete nearly hands off workflows. By the end of this talk you’ll understand techniques such as using modular checklists to build tests, using and indexing docs, cursor rules, when to commit, roll back strategies to reduce hallucinations and Devops scripts the active cursor LLM can write and use to keep the code honest.

This talk has been presented at Productivity Conf for Devs and Tech Leaders, check out the latest edition of this Tech Conference.

FAQ

Iterating on lints helps you find and fix errors quickly, avoiding a large backlog of errors that can be overwhelming to address all at once.

Web search tools allow Cursor to reach out to the web for additional context when it doesn't understand something, enhancing its problem-solving capabilities.

Uploading your own documents allows Cursor to use them as additional context during prompts, which can provide more accurate and relevant responses.

Project-level rules are specific guidelines that apply to a particular project, instructing Cursor on how to handle files and prompts within that project.

YOLO mode allows Cursor to execute commands rapidly during prototyping but should be turned off for enterprise products to prevent unintended actions.

As AI models and your workflow evolve, you can revise your rules and instructions in Cursor to improve accuracy and adapt to changes.

A PRD provides a structured base of context for AI to work with, facilitating better project planning and implementation.

Debug logs provide an AI agent with detailed information about the application's operation and issues, aiding in effective troubleshooting.

Indexing allows Cursor to find files and understand file relationships, improving its ability to provide contextually relevant prompt suggestions.

Enabling large context allows Cursor to absorb larger files and multiple files in your prompt window, but it uses more requests, requiring mindfulness of your plan and request limits.

Mike Mikula
Mike Mikula
29 min
27 Mar, 2025

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Video Summary and Transcription
I'll walk through some of the ways I set up Cursor to help speed up my full stack workflow. The main thing to check is indexing the code base. Cursor also looks at the get graph file relationships. Another important setting is large context, which allows absorbing larger files and multiple files of context in the prompt window. Iterating on lints helps find and fix errors faster. Web search tools and uploading your own docs are also available to enhance the prompt window. These are all preferences, including auto select, YOLO mode, and models. Rules are also crucial as they guide the model to understand your workflow. Implement best practice error handling and adjust rules as the models and system prompts change. MCPs like sequential thinking, Postgres SQL, and Puppeteer help refine thoughts and automate workflows. Creating a product requirements document in a .md file allows AI to ground itself in project information. The game was successfully implemented and all items were checked off. Debugging strategies involve adding debug logs to help identify issues. Use commit messages to provide clear documentation for changes. Demonstrating the use of AI in debugging by setting up and utilizing debug logs. Showcasing the benefits of providing debug information to resolve issues. Overview of various topics including indexing rules, linting, MCPs, PRDs, tech stacks, and checklists.
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