Cursor

VS Code, but with a brain

Cursor is a fork of VS Code with AI integrations built directly into the editor's core. You don't install an extension — AI is part of the editor.

What makes it exceptional

Cmd+K (inline edit): Select code, describe what you want to change, and Cursor edits it directly in the file. No copy-paste from chat. Works surprisingly well for small tweaks.

Composer: A multi-file generator. Describe a feature and Composer creates/edits several files at once. Great for scaffolding new components.

Chat with context: AI chat that automatically indexes your project. You can ask about architecture, debugging, or say "add validation to this form" and it knows what you're talking about.

Why I give it "only" 4 stars

Cursor is an excellent editor. But I have Claude Code and honestly — I do most of the heavy work in the terminal. Claude Code has better contextual awareness (reads git history, runs tests) and the workflow is faster.

I use Cursor for:

• Quick inline edits (Cmd+K is really fast)
• Visual code review (I see the diff directly in the editor)
• Exploring unfamiliar code (chat asks about the project)

I use Claude Code for:

• New features (scaffolding, multi-file changes)
• Debugging (runs tests, reads error logs)
• Refactoring (understands the whole project)
• Commit and PR workflow

Cursor vs. VS Code + Copilot

Cursor is better than VS Code with Copilot. Inline edits are more natural, Composer has no equivalent, and contextual awareness is deeper. If you're considering one or the other — Cursor.

Verdict

Cursor is the best AI editor on the market. If you don't use Claude Code in the terminal, Cursor is the clear choice. If you use both (like me), it's a strong combination — Cursor for visual work, Claude Code for heavy logic.