Cursor is like ChatGPT + context + tool calling, in a “command center” UI. There are power user features (like adjusting key bindings) - but also just nice ease of use (like a chat-friendly UI).

It can also search the web!

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If you ever get stuck in this course, or using the repo, you can always treat cursor like ChatGPT. The bonus is it has the same model PLUS your context, all in one place

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A quick review for non-technical PMs

✨ Cursor is more than a code editor; it's an AI-first Integrated Development Environment (IDE) designed for building with Large Language Models. Think of it as a supercharged version of VS Code that has an AI assistant deeply integrated, acting as your personal tech lead or pair programmer.

For a Product Manager, this is a game-changer:

• It Gives You Superpowers to "Vibe Code": You don't need to be a senior engineer to build. You can use natural language prompts to guide the AI, turning your product vision into a functional prototype. This process of "vibe coding" is about steering the AI with your product sense, not necessarily writing perfect code.
• All Your Context in One Place: Cursor can read your entire codebase, browse web pages for documentation, and reference previous conversations. This means you can ask complex questions and get context-aware answers without having to manually feed the AI information.
  • Brainstorm PRDs: prompt: using this codebase as a foundation, create a spec for an agent/AI application that does _______
  • Understand Technical Debt: prompt: analyze this folder and tell me where the code is most complex and hard to maintain.
• From Idea to Application with Agent Mode: You can use "agent mode" to execute complex, multi-step tasks. Give it a high-level goal, and it will plan and execute the steps, creating files, writing code, and even debugging itself along the way. As a PM, this allows you to build entire applications with simple prompts while retaining control over the system's direction.

Even if Cursor feels intimidating at first, the core concepts are what matter. Once you understand how to prompt an agent, provide it with context, and guide it through building an application, you can apply these same principles to any AI development process, whether it's with low-code tools or a full production engineering team. This is your safe space to build intuition.

💻 Tour of the UI

We're going to do a quick feature tour of Cursor and its functionality to show you how we use it + some common mistakes to avoid!

Components of the IDE

When you open Cursor, here are the key windows you'll be working with:

• Directory (File Explorer): On the left, this shows all the files and folders in your project.
• Editor (Active Window): The central area where you view and edit code.
• Terminal: The panel at the bottom where you run commands.
• Chat History (AI Assistant): On the right, this is where you'll interact with the AI. This is your primary tool for "vibe coding."

• Check what layout you’re using: