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SaaS Template

Mastering Cursor with RankThis: A Developer's Guide

Learn how to use Cursor effectively with the RankThis template for rapid development, debugging, and customization.

•7 min read•by RankThis Team
cursordevelopmenttutorialproductivity

Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on VS Code that integrates advanced language models directly into your development workflow. Think of it as having an expert developer sitting next to you, ready to help with any coding challenge. When combined with the RankThis template, you have a powerful combination for rapid development.

What is Cursor?

Cursor is a fork of VS Code that adds model capabilities throughout the editor. It's not just a chatbot - it's an intelligent coding assistant that understands your entire codebase and can make contextual suggestions, write code, debug issues, and explain complex concepts.

The Cursor Interface

The key to using Cursor effectively is understanding its interface:

  1. The Prompt Window - Your main interface for sending prompts to language models (Ctrl+L or Cmd+L)
  2. Inline Chat - Ask questions about specific code selections (Ctrl+K or Cmd+K)
  3. Tab Autocomplete - Model-powered code completion as you type
  4. Commands - Special @ commands that give models specific context

Understanding Cursor Modes

Cursor has two primary modes for different use cases:

Agent Mode 🤖

When to use: Making changes, implementing features, fixing bugs

What it does: Agent mode gives the model permission to directly edit your files. It's like having a developer who can actually write and modify code for you.

Example prompts:

"Add a loading spinner to the login button"
"Fix the TypeScript errors in the user dashboard"
"Implement dark mode toggle in the header"

Why it's powerful: Agent mode can make multiple file changes, create new files, and implement complete features without you having to copy-paste code.

Ask Mode 💭

When to use: Understanding concepts, planning features, getting explanations

What it does: Ask mode is for getting information and explanations. The model won't make changes to your code - it's purely for learning and planning.

Example prompts:

"How does NextAuth.js work in this template?"
"What's the best way to add a user profile feature?"
"Explain how the blog system works"

Why it's useful: Perfect for exploring ideas, understanding existing code, and planning before implementation.

Model Selection

Recommendation: Use Claude-4-Sonnet as your primary model.

Why Claude-4-Sonnet?

  • Excellent at TypeScript/React - Understands modern patterns
  • Great context understanding - Grasps complex codebases
  • Reliable code generation - Produces high-quality, working code
  • Good at explanations - Clear, detailed responses

How to select: Click the model dropdown in the prompt window and choose Claude-4-Sonnet

Essential @ Reference Options

Type @ in Cursor's prompt window to access these reference options:

@Terminals

References terminal output from running processes. Use when you see errors or need to debug issues.

@Files & Folders

References specific files or folders. Use when working on particular components or files.

@Code

References code symbols and functions across your project. Use for architectural planning or understanding project structure.

@Docs

References documentation from libraries or your own docs. Use when working with external APIs or following documentation patterns.

@Git

References Git history and recent changes. Use when you need context about code evolution.

Cursor Rules

References your .cursorrules file and coding standards. Use when you want the model to follow your project conventions.

Full Vibe Coding Mode: The @Terminals Advantage

The Key Insight: When Cursor introduces errors, use @Terminals to reference your local web server terminal so the model can see exactly what went wrong and fix it.

Quick Workflow:

  1. Start your server: pnpm run dev
  2. Ask Cursor to make changes
  3. If errors appear in terminal, type @ → select "Terminals" → choose your server terminal
  4. Say: "Fix the errors you just introduced"
  5. Repeat until clean

Why this works: The model sees the complete error context and can self-correct immediately.

Pro Tips for Maximum Productivity

1. Choose the Right Mode

  • Agent Mode: When you want changes made
  • Ask Mode: When you want to understand or plan

2. Use Claude-4-Sonnet

  • Most reliable for TypeScript/React projects
  • Best at understanding complex codebases
  • Produces high-quality code

3. Combine References for Better Context

@Files & Folders
@src/app/page.tsx
@Terminals

Agent Mode: Add a hero section to the homepage with a call-to-action button

4. Be Specific in Your Requests

Instead of: "Fix this" Use: "Fix the TypeScript error where the user prop is possibly undefined in the UserProfile component"

5. The Terminal is Your Friend

Always keep the terminal running your local web server visible (started with pnpm run dev). It's your real-time feedback system that tells you if the model's changes are working.

Common Workflows

When Building New Features

  1. Plan (Ask Mode): "How should I implement user profiles?"
  2. Implement (Agent Mode): "Add a user profile page with edit functionality"
  3. Debug (Agent Mode + @Terminals): Fix any issues that arise
  4. Refine (Agent Mode): Polish the implementation

When Debugging

  1. Reproduce the error in your terminal
  2. Use @Terminals to give the model full context
  3. Agent Mode to let the model fix the issues
  4. Iterate until the terminal shows no errors

When Learning the Codebase

  1. Ask Mode with @Files & Folders for high-level project understanding
  2. Ask Mode with @Code for specific function or symbol details
  3. Use @Git to understand recent changes
  4. Ask Mode to understand relationships between files

Troubleshooting Cursor

Model Not Understanding Context

  • Solution: Use more specific references (@Files & Folders, @Code, @Terminals)
  • Example: Instead of just asking about a component, reference the specific file

Generated Code Doesn't Match Project Style

  • Solution: Include more project files using @Files & Folders
  • Example: Include similar components so the model can see your patterns

Model Makes Too Many Changes

  • Solution: Be more specific in your requests
  • Example: "Only change the button color" instead of "improve the design"

Conclusion

Cursor transforms how you develop with the RankThis template. The key is understanding:

  1. What Cursor actually is - An AI-powered code editor, not just a chatbot
  2. When to use Agent vs Ask mode - Agent for changes, Ask for understanding
  3. How @ references work - They give the model specific context about your project
  4. The power of @Terminals - Real-time debugging with full context
  5. Model selection matters - Claude-4-Sonnet for the best results

Master these concepts, and you'll build features faster than you ever thought possible.

Ready to supercharge your development? Open Cursor, select Claude-4-Sonnet, start your local web server with pnpm run dev, and try the @Terminals reference with Agent mode!