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Installation and Basic Navigation

Installation and Basic Navigation

Learn how to install Cursor and familiarize yourself with its interface and settings.

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In this lesson, we’ll walk you through the setup process and explore Cursor’s layout and configuration panels. By the end, we’ll be ready to start using its AI features in real projects.

We’ll learn how to:

  • Install Cursor on macOS, Windows, or Linux.

  • Launch the editor and access the start screen options.

  • Navigate the interface using the top bar, side panels, and terminal.

  • Explore key settings such as appearance, privacy, and chat behavior.

  • Choose and configure AI models for personalized suggestions.

  • Use version control and team collaboration tools inside Cursor.

Installing Cursor on your machine

Installing Cursor is quick and straightforward.

Step 1: Download Cursor

Visit the official Cursor website: https://www.cursor.so.

You’ll find installation options for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Choose the version that matches your operating system and download the installer.

Minimum requirements:

  • macOS 10.15 or later (Universal, x64, or Arm64)

  • Windows 10 or 11 (x64 or Arm64)

  • Linux distributions that support AppImage (e.g. Ubuntu 20.04+, Fedora 36+, Debian 11+, Arch)

  • No additional Node.js or Python dependencies required

Step 2: Run the installer

Once the download is complete:

  • macOS: Open the .dmg file and drag the Cursor app into your Applications folder.

  • Windows: Run the .exe installer and follow the prompts.

  • Linux: Follow the CLI-based installation instructions provided on the website or GitHub page (usually via .AppImage or .deb).

Step 3: Launch Cursor

After installation:

  • Open the Cursor application from your system’s application menu.

  • The first time you open it, Cursor may ask for basic permissions and show a short onboarding screen.

Note: Cursor is a modified version of VS Code, so it may prompt you to import some of your existing settings or extensions. You can skip this if you’re starting fresh.

In the next section, we’ll explore the layout of the Cursor and get comfortable navigating around it.

Exploring the Cursor interface

Before diving into specific AI features, let’s first get oriented with the main sections of the Cursor interface. The layout is intentionally clean and minimal, but it hides powerful functionality under a few key panels and controls. Here’s a quick overview of what we’ll see when we first open Cursor.

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This is the first screen we see when we launch Cursor. From here, we can open a project, clone a repository, or connect to a remote environment. It also gives quick access to settings, terminal, AI tools, and notifications. We’ll explore each of these options one by one in the next slides.
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This is the first screen we see when we launch Cursor. From here, we can open a project, clone a repository, or connect to a remote environment. It also gives quick access to settings, terminal, AI tools, and notifications. We’ll explore each of these options one by one in the next slides.

Cursor needs an internet connection to access its default cloud-based AI models. However, for fully offline usage, Cursor also supports connecting to self-hosted or proxy-hosted models, such as those run via Ollama or other local endpoints. If no model is connected, Cursor still works as a basic code editor, but AI features like chat, inline suggestions, and refactoring will be disabled. To get the full experience, either connect to the internet or set up a compatible local model.

The start screen

When we launch Cursor, we land on the start screen. From here, we can:

  • Open a project from our local machine.

  • Clone a repository from a remote source.

  • Connect to a project over SSH.

  • Reopen recent projects we’ve worked on.

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Cursor start screen
Cursor start screen

This screen gives us quick ways to jump back into work or start something new.

What is at the top-right corner?

From left to right, the top-right corner contains:

  • Toggle primary side bar: This lets us show or hide the main file explorer and navigation menu on the left.

  • Toggle panel: This button is used to open or collapse the panel area at the bottom, which includes the terminal, debugger, and other tools.

  • Toggle AI pane: This button opens or hides the Cursor AI assistant panel, where we interact with the AI directly.

  • Settings: This opens the full Cursor settings interface, where we can configure everything from AI model preferences to keybindings, chat behavior, privacy options, and more.

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Options available at the top-right of the Cursor start screen
Options available at the top-right of the Cursor start screen

What is at the bottom-right corner?

On the far right, we have:

  • Cursor Tab: This tab shows the AI status and lets us toggle between auto, manual, and snoozed modes or disable the assistant globally.

  • Notification center: This icon displays system notifications such as AI task updates, model issues, or connectivity alerts.

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Options available at the bottom-right of the Cursor start screen
Options available at the bottom-right of the Cursor start screen

What is at the bottom-left corner?

This corner provides tools for remote development, debugging, and port management. ...