Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Cursor IDE, Claude Code, MCP servers, and AI development workflows.
Cursor is an AI-enhanced IDE (like VS Code) with integrated AI features. Claude Code is a CLI tool that works alongside your existing editor. Choose Cursor for seamless IDE integration, Claude Code for powerful autonomous coding capabilities.
Aspect Cursor Claude Code Interface Full IDE with GUI Terminal/CLI based Context Window 120k tokens 200k tokens Best For Interactive coding, pair programming Autonomous tasks, large refactors Learning Curve Easier for beginners Steeper, more powerful Price $20/month Pro $20/month Pro
For most coding tasks : Claude 4 Sonnet (default)
Excellent balance of capability and cost
Handles 95% of development tasks effectively
For complex problems : Claude 4 Opus or o3
Architecture decisions, system design
Debugging intricate issues
5x more expensive than Sonnet
For massive contexts : Gemini 2.5 Pro
1M token context window
Best for analyzing large codebases
Individual Plans
Cursor Pro : $20/month (500 fast requests)
Claude Code Pro : $20/month (~45 messages/5hrs)
API Usage : ~$10-15/day for heavy use
Team Plans
Cursor Business : $40/user/month
Claude Code Team : $25-30/user/month
Enterprise : Custom pricing
Open the AI chat panel (Cmd/Ctrl + L)
Click the mode selector dropdown
Choose “Agent” instead of “Chat”
Agent mode can now make file changes
Common solutions:
Check your plan : Free tier has limited completions
Verify indexing : Settings → Features → Codebase Indexing (should be ON)
Model availability : Check if the Tab model is experiencing issues
File type : Some file types have limited support
Context : Tab works better with more surrounding code
Go to Settings → Models → API Keys
Enter your key for the provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.)
Click Verify to test the connection
Select “Use my API key” in the model dropdown
Note : Own API keys only work for chat models, not Tab completion or specialized features.
Fast Requests : Priority processing, limited by plan (500/month for Pro)
Slow Requests : Unlimited but may have delays during peak times
Fast requests reset monthly on your billing date
Check usage: Settings → Subscription → Usage
Install the GitHub app from your team dashboard
Create .github/claude-code-review.yml
:
Review for bugs and security issues.
Be concise and focus on real problems.
BugBot will automatically review new PRs
Click “Fix in Cursor” to address issues
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Each level allocates more computational resources:
Normal mode : Standard processing
/think
: ~2x more reasoning
/think hard
: ~5x more reasoning
/think harder
: ~10x more reasoning
/ultrathink
: Maximum reasoning (use sparingly)
Safe approach : Configure allowed tools
claude mcp add git -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/git@latest
Yolo mode (use with caution):
claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
Claude Code Pro allows ~45 messages per 5-hour rolling window. To manage limits:
Use /clear
between tasks to reset context
Batch related questions together
Upgrade to Max plan for 5x or 20x more usage
Consider API usage for heavy workloads
Install the Claude Code extension:
Open VS Code/Cursor
Install “Claude Code” extension
Click the Claude icon to launch
Can run multiple instances for different code areas
Model Context Protocol servers extend AI capabilities by connecting to external tools:
Databases : Query and modify data
APIs : Interact with web services
Browsers : Automate web tasks
File systems : Advanced file operations
Settings → Features → MCP
Click ”+ Add MCP Server”
Choose from gallery or add custom
Configure and enable
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-name
claude mcp add server-name
Essential servers for most developers:
filesystem : Enhanced file operations
git : Version control integration
github : PR and issue management
puppeteer : Browser automation
context7 : Library documentation
MCP servers run locally by default. Security considerations:
Review server code before installation
Use minimal required permissions
Avoid servers requesting internet access unless needed
Check community reviews and official status
A systematic approach for complex features:
PRD (Product Requirements Document)
Write clear specifications
Include user stories and acceptance criteria
Plan
Ask AI to create implementation plan
Review and refine the approach
Use “think” mode for complex planning
Todo
Convert plan to checklist
AI works through tasks systematically
Track progress and iterate
Cursor strategies :
Enable codebase indexing
Use @folders
to scope context
Break work into smaller chunks
Use semantic search with @codebase
Claude Code strategies :
Hierarchical CLAUDE.md files
Use --enable-architect
flag
Let Claude explore first before changes
Clear context between major tasks
Use Agent Mode when :
Making multi-file changes
Implementing features
Refactoring code
You want autonomous execution
Use Ask/Chat Mode when :
Exploring code
Understanding functionality
Planning changes
Learning about the codebase
Choose the right model : Don’t default to Opus/o3 for simple tasks
Clear context regularly : Use /clear
in Claude Code
Cache common operations : Reuse similar prompts
Use own API keys : Avoid markup on high usage
Batch operations : Group related changes
Monitor usage : Check dashboards regularly
Common causes and solutions:
Insufficient context : Include more relevant files
Unclear instructions : Be specific about requirements
Model confusion : Try /clear
and restart
Outdated index : Rebuild codebase index
Wrong model : Switch to a more capable model
Reduce included files : Only @mention
necessary files
Use Max mode : Enables larger context (may cost more)
Split the task : Break into smaller operations
Clear old context : Remove unnecessary conversation history
Use file ranges : Include specific line ranges instead of whole files
In Cursor :
Check if you’re in Agent mode (not Ask mode)
Verify file permissions
Look for syntax errors preventing application
Try “Accept All” or apply individually
In Claude Code :
Ensure you have write permissions
Check if running with --read-only
flag
Verify the file paths are correct
Look for git locks or conflicts
Community Support :
Official Support :