Cursor
AI code editor (VS Code fork) that lets you talk to your codebase, autocomplete across files, and refactor with a prompt
If you already use VS Code, Cursor is the shortest path to having AI actually understand your project. It is not just autocomplete — you can highlight code and ask “why is this breaking?” or tell it “add error handling to all API routes” and watch it edit multiple files.
The tab completions are the killer feature. They predict what you are about to type based on what you just did, and they are eerily good at continuing patterns. The free Hobby tier gives you a taste, but you will burn through the 50 premium requests quickly. Pro at $20/month is where most solo devs land. Since mid-2025 they switched to credit-based billing, so keep an eye on your usage if you are doing heavy agent work.
What's good
- Feels like VS Code — your extensions and shortcuts just work
- Tab completions predict multi-line changes, not just single words
- Can reference your entire codebase when answering questions
Watch out for
- Free tier runs out fast — expect to hit the Pro paywall within a week of real use
- Sometimes confidently suggests wrong code, especially for less popular libraries
- Credit-based billing (since mid-2025) makes costs harder to predict
Alternatives
Windsurf
AI IDE with an agent mode (Cascade) that plans and executes multi-step coding tasks across your project
GitHub Copilot
GitHub's AI coding assistant — inline suggestions, chat, and agent mode right in your editor
Cline
Open-source VS Code extension that acts as an autonomous coding agent — bring your own AI model
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