Complete Cursor Setup Guide: AI Rules + MCPs + Agents

Most Cursor users stop at autocomplete and basic chat — never discovering the features that compound into an entirely different way to build. This is the complete Cursor guide: 8 sections covering everything from first install and .cursorrules setup to the four editing modes, slash commands, MCP integrations for browser testing and databases, and Background Agents that implement features while you sleep. Each section includes real examples from 8+ months of daily use.

I thought I had it figured out. ChatGPT for brainstorming, Claude for planning, GitHub Copilot for code completion. Each tool had its place.

As Cursor launched (here’s what changed in 2.0). I gave it a try, and it seemed like just another tool in the stack. Set up .cursorrules on day one. Learned slash commands as they released. Tried MCPs when they launched. Each new feature felt like a nice improvement — useful, but incremental.

I didn’t realize how far I’d come until I paired with a coworker still using VSCode. He was manually copying context between ChatGPT and his IDE. Re-explaining his project every session. Testing UI changes by manually clicking through localhost.

I watched him work and thought: “Wait, I used to do that. When did I stop?”

I looked back at my workflow from eight months ago. The difference was massive. But I’d lived through it gradually, one feature at a time, so I never felt the transformation.

Eight months ago: ChatGPT for planning, Copilot for completion, manual context management across tools.

Today: .cursorrules remembers my project standards. Different Cursor modes do the heavy lifting of most coding sessions. Slash commands automate my repetitive workflow. Browser MCP connects my browser for automated testing with screenshots. Postgres MCP queries my database without switching windows. Background Agents implement multi-file features overnight.

The old way feels impossible now.

You don’t notice transformation when you’re living through it daily. You only see it when you look back or compare to someone who didn’t evolve with you.

Cursor didn’t just get better. My entire development workflow became a different thing.

But when I talk to other developers, most are still using IDEs the way I did eight months ago. The gap widens every week. I didn’t plan this transformation, I learned one feature at a time, and they compounded.

What you’ll go through with me:

• Getting Started — 15 minutes from install to building, not 3 hours configuring

• .cursorrules and Project Files — teaching Cursor your coding standards and project goals

• The Four Cursor Modes — Inline, Ask, Agent, Plan — when each one becomes your secret weapon

• Multi-Session Building + Debugging — preserving context across days and diagnosing issues 3x faster

• Slash Commands + MCP — automating workflows and connecting browsers, databases, and more

• Background Agents — autonomous implementation that runs while you sleep