Let AI ship your side-projects

We're witnessing a shift on how people write code recently. With the advent of Claude Sonnet and GPT-4, the integration of AI into our development tools isn't just a fancy add-on anymore; it's becoming a necessity. Enter Cursor, an AI-powered IDE that's been my daily driver for the past twelve months.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Another AI tool? Isn't this just hype?" I was skeptical too. But hear me out.

Cursor isn't just about auto-complete on steroids, or shitty AI code-generation. It's about reimagining the entire coding process. Imagine having a pair programmer who has read every piece of documentation you could ever need, and is already trained on your codebase and an expert in the language. That's Cursor.

Let's break it down:

1. Code Generation and Simplification
   Cursor doesn't just suggest; it understands. It grasps the context of your project and generates code that fits. Cursor can ingest any documentation website or codebase you pass to it, and injects it into the context of your dev-related queries.
2. Multi-File Editing and Language Conversion
   Ever tried refactoring a complex project? It's usually a headache. With Cursor, it's a conversation. The AI understands the project structure and helps you navigate refactors, explaining the changes as it goes.
3. AI-Assisted Debugging
   Debugging is where Cursor truly shines. Cursor can analyze your code, compare them against the expected output - and give step-by-step instructions to debug and fix a problem. This is one of the main reasons why I pay for Cursor.
4. Integration with Multiple AI Models
   Cursor isn't tied to a single AI mode. It can leverage GPT-4, Claude, and others. This flexibility means you're not locked into a single AI's strengths and weaknesses. For eg, while the GPT models might be good for writing copy and general-reasoning tasks, the Claude models give you a larger context window and better code-gen capabilities - things you can leverage for yourself.

Of course, it's not perfect. Like any tool, it has its quirks. Sometimes it misunderstands context, or suggests solutions that aren't quite right. But that's where your expertise comes in. Cursor is a tool, not a replacement for human intelligence.

The real power of Cursor lies in its ability to let you focus on what matters: solving problems. By handling the mundane aspects of coding, it frees you to think about the bigger picture. It's not about writing more code; it's about designing how systems interact and letting cursor write the application-specific code.

As we stand on the brink of this AI revolution in coding, tools like Cursor are just the beginning. They're not just changing how we write code; they're changing how we think about writing code.

So, what do you think about the future of coding?