Question 1

Is the Cursor Academy free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, 100% free. No sign-up, no credit card. All 10 modules, 14 lessons, and 50+ quizzes are immediately accessible. Progress saves locally in your browser.

Question 2

What topics does the Cursor Academy cover?

Accepted Answer

The course covers Cursor installation, VS Code migration, Tab autocomplete, Chat & @mentions, Inline Edit, Composer, Agent Mode, YOLO Mode, Plan Mode, .cursorrules & MDC files, MCP integration, Background Agents, privacy & enterprise features, pricing plans, and power-user shortcuts.

Question 3

Is Cursor better than GitHub Copilot?

Accepted Answer

Cursor excels at agentic workflows, multi-file editing, and autonomous coding with Agent Mode. Copilot has better JetBrains support and enterprise compliance. This course teaches you to maximize Cursor's unique strengths.

Question 4

What are .cursorrules?

Accepted Answer

.cursorrules (and the modern .cursor/rules/*.mdc format) are project-level configuration files that give Cursor's AI persistent instructions about your codebase — coding standards, conventions, and behavior rules that apply across all AI interactions.

Question 5

Do I need programming experience?

Accepted Answer

No prerequisites required. The course starts from absolute basics (installation & setup) and progressively advances to expert topics like Background Agents, MCP integration, and enterprise deployment.

Question 6

Is my code safe with Cursor?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cursor offers Privacy Mode with Zero Data Retention (ZDR) — your code is never stored or used for training. Cursor is SOC 2 Type II certified with SAML SSO, SCIM, and CMEK for enterprise security.

Question 7

What does Cursor Pro cost?

Accepted Answer

Cursor Pro is $20/month ($16/month with annual billing). It includes unlimited Tab completions, a $20 credit pool for premium models, and extended Agent limits. Auto mode is unlimited and doesn't consume credits.

Question 8

Can I use my VS Code extensions in Cursor?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Cursor is a VS Code fork. All VS Code extensions, themes, keybindings, and settings work natively. On first launch, Cursor offers a one-click migration from VS Code.

Question 9

What is Agent Mode?

Accepted Answer

Agent Mode transforms Cursor's Composer into an autonomous coding agent. It can plan changes, create/modify multiple files, run terminal commands, execute tests, and self-correct based on error output — all without manual intervention.

Question 10

What models does Cursor support?

Accepted Answer

Cursor supports Claude Sonnet, Claude Opus, GPT-4o, GPT-5, Gemini, and more. Auto mode intelligently routes to the optimal model for each task and is unlimited on paid plans.

Feature	Cursor	GitHub Copilot	Windsurf
Type	Dedicated IDE (VS Code fork)	Extension (multi-IDE)	Dedicated IDE (VS Code fork)
Strength	Best agentic workflow	Enterprise compliance & ecosystem	Value & flow integration
Agent Mode	Best-in-class Composer	GitHub-native agent	Cascade flow engine
JetBrains	Limited	Excellent	Limited
Price	$20/mo Pro	$19/mo Individual	$15/mo Pro
Best For	Individual power users	Enterprise teams	Cost-effective agents

Cursor vs Copilot vs Windsurf

The 2026 AI IDE Landscape

When to Choose Each