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What’s the Deal with Cursor Devs?

Cursor. It’s the AI-powered coding assistant that’s supposed to make development smoother, faster, and less painful. Or at least, that’s the idea. But after spending some time with Cursor, I found myself scratching my head. Is this thing really as revolutionary as people claim, or is it just another overhyped tool that’s trying to be everything to everyone?

I dove into Cursor with high hopes. I mean, who wouldn’t want a little AI sidekick that auto-completes, helps with debugging, and even offers to refactor code? But my experience was… mixed, to say the least. Let me walk you through what I found—and why so many devs seem divided on this tool.

The Good: Where Cursor Shines

To be fair, Cursor does have some solid strengths, especially in the right context.

  1. Perfect for Smaller Projects – If you’re working on a side project or a prototype, Cursor can genuinely be a timesaver. It excels in these smaller environments, where the codebase isn’t too heavy and the stakes aren’t too high. Cursor’s AI auto-complete and quick suggestions feel helpful, and it really can speed things up. During a recent prototype, I loved that I could just punch in a few lines, and Cursor would take care of the repetitive bits. This is where it shines.

  2. Customizable (If You Have the Patience) – Cursor’s customization options are a dream if you’re a control freak about your IDE setup. You can tweak it to follow your exact coding style, integrate specific rules, and even adjust how aggressively it suggests code. However, let me just say—getting it configured the way you want isn’t quick. I spent more time than I care to admit messing with the settings, and there were still moments when it felt like I was training Cursor rather than Cursor helping me. It’s powerful, but you’ll need patience.

  3. Real-Time Collaboration (When It Works) – Cursor tries to be your coding partner, suggesting refactors and debugging ideas on the fly. When it gets it right, it’s great. I’ll admit, there were moments when I thought, “Okay, this actually saved me some time.” But, and it’s a big “but,” it doesn’t always nail it. More on that later.

The Frustrations: Where Cursor Falters

But here’s the thing—Cursor isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. There are some real annoyances that had me ready to uninstall it more than once.

  1. Falls Apart on Large Codebases – Here’s the kicker: if you’re working on anything substantial, Cursor can be a disaster. I tried it on a larger project, and the slowdown was real. The suggestions became sluggish, sometimes irrelevant, and every now and then, Cursor would freeze altogether. I’m not the only one. Other devs have reported that it struggles with enterprise-level projects, and honestly, I can see why. For big projects, Cursor just can’t keep up, and that’s a deal-breaker if you need stability.

  2. Intrusive AI Overreach – One thing that drove me nuts was how Cursor kept trying to “help” even when I didn’t want it to. It’s like Cursor wants to take over sometimes, suggesting big structural changes out of nowhere. I had to keep turning down suggestions that were just plain wrong or unnecessary. As one user perfectly put it: “Sometimes, it feels like Cursor is trying to do my job for me—except it’s not always doing it well.” If you like being in control, Cursor’s eagerness to take the wheel can get old fast.

  3. Inconsistent Performance – The performance of Cursor is… let’s say, “inconsistent.” In some environments, it works smoothly, while in others, it’s glitchy and laggy. I tested it across a few setups, and the experience varied wildly. With certain IDEs, it was fine; with others, it was borderline unusable. If you’ve got the ideal setup, Cursor can be a solid assistant, but if you’re in the “wrong” environment, it’ll just be a source of frustration.

  4. Setup is a Time Sink – The customization options are great, sure. But let’s be real—getting Cursor dialed in to work exactly how you want is a chore. I’m talking about hours of setup and tweaking. Cursor isn’t exactly plug-and-play; it’s more like plug, configure, test, reconfigure, and hope for the best. If you’re someone who just wants to dive into code, Cursor’s setup requirements might make you wonder if it’s even worth it.

Who Actually Loves Cursor?

Cursor’s got its fans, no doubt about it. Here’s who seems to get the most out of it:

Who Probably Won’t Like Cursor?

On the flip side, some developers might want to steer clear:

Final Thoughts: Is Cursor Worth the Hype?

So, after my dive into Cursor, here’s the verdict: it’s not for everyone. Cursor has potential—there’s no doubt about that. If you’re working on smaller projects and enjoy customizing your tools, it might just be the productivity boost you’re looking for. But if you’re expecting Cursor to handle big projects, or if you’re looking for a rock-solid tool that just works, this might not be the AI assistant for you.

The truth is, Cursor is still evolving. Maybe with a few updates, it’ll get closer to being the all-in-one tool it aspires to be. But right now, it’s a bit of a gamble. For every “wow” moment I had with Cursor, there were just as many “ugh” moments. If you’re curious and up for experimenting, give it a shot. Just don’t be surprised if it feels like you’re beta-testing the future of coding… quirks and all.