Cursor Known Pitfalls & Solutions
AI Feature Pitfalls
Over-Trusting AI Output
PITFALL:
Accepting AI suggestions without review.
AI can generate plausible but incorrect code.
SOLUTION:
- Always review before accepting
- Test generated code
- Understand what the code does
- Don't accept security-sensitive code blindly
Context Pollution
PITFALL:
Long conversations accumulate irrelevant context.
AI responses become less accurate over time.
SOLUTION:
- Start new chat for new topics (Cmd+Shift+L)
- Keep conversations focused
- Clear context when switching tasks
- Use @-mentions strategically
Vague Prompts
PITFALL:
"Make it better" or "Fix this" without specifics.
AI can't read your mind.
SOLUTION:
- Be specific about what you want
- Include error messages
- Describe expected vs actual behavior
- Provide context with @-mentions
Wrong Model for Task
PITFALL:
Using GPT-4 for simple completions (slow, expensive).
Using GPT-3.5 for complex architecture (insufficient).
SOLUTION:
- GPT-3.5/Cursor-small: Simple completions
- GPT-4 Turbo: Complex tasks, large context
- Claude: Explanations, documentation
- Match model to task complexity
Completion Pitfalls
Tab Key Confusion
PITFALL:
Tab accepts completion when you wanted indentation.
Accidentally inserting AI-generated code.
SOLUTION:
- Watch for ghost text before pressing Tab
- Use Esc to dismiss unwanted completions
- Configure completion delay
- Be aware of completion mode
Outdated Completions
PITFALL:
Completions based on old patterns in codebase.
AI suggests deprecated approaches.
SOLUTION:
- Update .cursorrules with current patterns
- Re-index after major refactors
- Include modern examples in rules
- Clear index cache if stale
Language/Framework Mismatch
PITFALL:
AI suggests React patterns in Vue project.
Wrong framework conventions in completions.
SOLUTION:
- Configure .cursorrules with correct framework
- Check file associations
- Be explicit in prompts about framework
- Verify language mode in status bar
Configuration Pitfalls
Missing .cursorrules
PITFALL:
AI doesn't know your project conventions.
Inconsistent code generation.
SOLUTION:
- Always create .cursorrules for projects
- Include coding standards
- Document framework/library choices
- Add examples of preferred patterns
Poor .cursorignore
PITFALL:
Indexing node_modules, build outputs.
Slow indexing, irrelevant search results.
SOLUTION:
- Create comprehensive .cursorignore
- Exclude all dependency folders
- Exclude build outputs
- Exclude large data files
Settings Not Synced
PITFALL:
Different settings on different machines.
Inconsistent Cursor behavior.
SOLUTION:
- Enable Settings Sync
- Commit .vscode/settings.json to repo
- Document team settings
- Use workspace settings for project-specific
Security Pitfalls
Exposing Secrets
PITFALL:
AI context includes sensitive data.
Secrets sent to AI providers.
SOLUTION:
- Use .cursorignore for .env files
- Use environment variables
- Enable Privacy Mode for sensitive code
- Never hardcode credentials
Trusting AI for Security Code
PITFALL:
AI-generated auth/crypto code may have flaws.
Security vulnerabilities in generated code.
SOLUTION:
- Extra review for security code
- Use established libraries
- Security review by human expert
- Test with security tools
API Keys in Settings
PITFALL:
Storing API keys in settings.json.
Keys visible in plaintext.
SOLUTION:
- Use environment variables
- Use secrets managers
- Never commit keys to repo
- Rotate keys if exposed
Performance Pitfalls
Too Many Extensions
PITFALL:
Installing every interesting extension.
Slow startup, memory issues.
SOLUTION:
- Audit extensions regularly
- Disable unused extensions
- Use workspace-specific extensions
- Remove completely if not needed
Large Context Requests
PITFALL:
@-mentioning entire folders.
Slow responses, context overflow.
SOLUTION:
- @-mention specific files
- Select only relevant code
- Use focused queries
- Start new chat when bloated
Indexing Entire Codebase
PITFALL:
Indexing massive monorepo.
Never-ending indexing, high CPU.
SOLUTION:
- Aggressive .cursorignore
- Open specific packages
- Use workspace folders
- Manual indexing for large projects
Workflow Pitfalls
Not Using Chat History
PITFALL:
Re-asking questions you've already asked.
Wasting time and tokens.
SOLUTION:
- Scroll up in chat history
- Reference previous responses
- Save useful responses
- Build knowledge base
Ignoring Composer Review
PITFALL:
Clicking "Apply All" without review.
Unwanted changes across files.
SOLUTION:
- Review each file change
- Check for unintended modifications
- Apply selectively
- Use version control for safety
Single-Tool Mindset
PITFALL:
Using only chat or only completions.
Missing efficiency gains from tool combinations.
SOLUTION:
- Completions for flow coding
- Chat for questions and review
- Composer for multi-file changes
- Inline edit for quick fixes
Team Pitfalls
No Shared Configuration
PITFALL:
Everyone has different .cursorrules.
Inconsistent AI-generated code.
SOLUTION:
- Commit .cursorrules to repo
- Document team standards
- Review rules in PRs
- Onboard new members
Conflicting Extensions
PITFALL:
Team members with different extensions.
Code formatted differently.
SOLUTION:
- .vscode/extensions.json in repo
- Shared formatter config
- Enforce in CI
- Document required extensions
Knowledge Silos
PITFALL:
Best prompts/techniques not shared.
Duplicate effort discovering patterns.
SOLUTION:
- Share effective prompts
- Document in .cursorrules
- Team prompt library
- Regular knowledge sharing
Recovery Strategies
When Things Go Wrong
1. Don't panic - use version control
2. Git stash or commit work in progress
3. Restart Cursor if behaving oddly
4. Clear cache if persistent issues
5. Start new chat for fresh context
Reset Options
# Clear just cache
rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/Cursor/
# Clear extension state
rm -rf ~/.cursor/extensions/
# Full reset (last resort)
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/
rm -rf ~/.cursor/
Getting Help
1. Check Cursor documentation
2. Search GitHub issues
3. Ask in Discord community
4. Contact support (paid plans)
5. Reproduce and report bugs
Prevention Checklist
[ ] .cursorrules created and maintained
[ ] .cursorignore comprehensive
[ ] Settings committed to repo
[ ] Extensions audited regularly
[ ] Team using shared configurations
[ ] Security guidelines followed
[ ] Performance monitored
[ ] Regular cache clearing
[ ] Version control always used