So it has converged to the same UI/UX as the Claude/Codex desktop apps. If that's the case, why use Cursor over those more canonical apps?

▲ davidgomes 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

1. Cursor is multi-model, meaning you can use at least a dozen different models.

2. Cursor's UI allows you to edit files, and even have the good old auto-complete when editing code.

3. Cursor's VSCode-based IDE is still around! I still love using it daily.

4. Cursor also has a CLI.

5. Perhaps more importantly, Cursor has a Cloud platform product with automations, extremely long-lived agents and lots of other features to dispatch agents to work on different things at the same time.

Disclaimer: I'm a product engineer at Cursor!

▲ MeetingsBrowser 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

I hope this comes off as constructive criticism, but I'm confused about what cursor is now.

Cursor is an IDE and an agentic interface and a cli tool and a platform that all work locally and and in the cloud and in the browser and supports dozens of different models.

I don't know how to use the thing anymore, or what the thing actually is.

	▲	bensyverson 4 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
		I'm having the same issue, as a former Cursor user and current Claude Code addict. CC is a very clear mental model. So is "agent in your IDE," like Cursor used to be and Xcode is now. The advantage of my current setup is that it's the terminal and Xcode, just as it has been for over 20 years. I applaud Cursor for experimenting with design, and seeing if there are better ways of collaborating with agents using a different type of workspace. But at the moment, it's hard to even justify the time spent kicking the tires on something new, closed source and paid.
	▲	lukebechtel 4 days ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		it sounds like you described it pretty well!
	▲	Lastkey 3 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		[dead]

▲ zwaps 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Let me give this a shot:

Cursor was the tool you use to pair program with AI. Where the AI types the code, and you direct it as you go along. This is a workflow where you work in code and you end up with something fundamentally correct to your standards.

Claude Code is the tool you use if you want to move one abstraction layer up - use harness, specs, verifications etc. to nail down the thing such that the only task left is type in the code - a thing AI does well. This is a workflow where the correctness depends on a lot of factors, but the idea is to abstract one level up from code. Fundamentally, it would be successful if you don't need to look at code at all.

I think there is not enough data to conclusively say which of these two concepts is better, even taking into account some trajectory of model development.

I do feel that any reason I have for installing Cursor is that I want to do workflow 1, rather than workflow 2. Cause I have a pretty comprehensive setup of claude code (or opencode, or whatevs) and I think it does everything you list here.

So, as a product engineer, you probably wanna mention why it matters that Cursor UI allows you to edit files with auto-complete.

▲ jrsj 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I would switch to Cursor 3 in a heartbeat if it supported Claude Agent SDK (w/ Claude Max subscription usage) and/or Codex the way that similar tools like Conductor do

And I would happily pay a seat based subscription fee or usage fees for cloud agents etc on top of this

Unfortunately very locked into these heavily subsidized subscription plans right now but I think from a product design and vision standpoint you guys are doing the best work in this space right now

▲ neil_naveen 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Is there going to be any more development on the frontier of cursor tab completion and features like that (more focused on helping engineer's with llm's for complex tasks) since I feel this is the main reason I dont use claude code or codex. I want to be writing the code, since I want performant, small, codebases that I understand (I am writing eBPF stuff, so agentic coding doesnt work that well)

▲ eranation 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Computer use in the cloud for me is THE killer feature.

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enraged_camel 3 days ago | parent [-]

Can you elaborate on how you are using it?

	▲	eranation 2 days ago \| parent [-]
		Basically set it up like a developer local env, then it just runs like an "openclaw" - with full control over its own env, with a browser, a shell, access to the local DB (e.g. install a local postgres). You basically get a video of the feature, screenshots, and it can also actually test itself, like a developer, clicking in the browser to test the feature. Game changer.

▲ a13n 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

vscode + claude code extension has everything you listed that actually matters

▲ simlevesque 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

You can use almost any model with Claude Code.

▲ dominotw 4 days ago | parent [-]

that doesnt make sense. how?

▲ simlevesque 4 days ago | parent [-]

Here's how to use MiniMax v2.7 for example: https://platform.minimax.io/docs/token-plan/claude-code

You just add this to your ~/.claude/settings.json:

  {
    "env": {
      "DISABLE_AUTOUPDATER": "1",
      "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.minimax.io/anthropic",
      "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "YOUR_SECRET_KEY",
      "API_TIMEOUT_MS": "3000000",
      "CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_NONESSENTIAL_TRAFFIC": 1,
      "ANTHROPIC_MODEL": "MiniMax-M2.7-highspeed",
      "ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL": "MiniMax-M2.7-highspeed",
      "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "MiniMax-M2.7-highspeed",
      "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "MiniMax-M2.7-highspeed",
      "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "MiniMax-M2.7-highspeed"
    }
  }

	▲	dominotw 3 days ago \| parent [-]
		ah 'almost' . i want to use codex.

▲ lubujackson 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

For $20 a month, I can plan and implements a couple features in 4 hours with Claude. Then I have to wait.

For $20 a month, I can plan and implement thousands of features using Composer 2 or Auto with Cursor. The usage limits are insanely higher. Yes, the depth of understanding is not Opus 4.6, but most work doesn't need that. And the work that does need it I pass to Claude.

I can code 8 hours a day using LLMs as my primary driver spending just $40 a month.

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bentt 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

Yep, Composer 2 has been quite good for me too. I only turn to Opus for major brainteasers.

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georgeven 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

the codex limits are actually pretty high too. You might want to check it out.

	▲	daviding 4 days ago \| parent [-]
		Agree with that, they seem really good limits for daily use on something like Chat GPT Pro $20 account. I'm in the curious situation of using the Codex CLI within Cursor IDE and not really getting value out of my $60 Cursor sub. Plus at every update it seems Cursor seems to break more of their UI in the 'not a cloud agent chat UI' vs the more traditional VSCode sort of layout of code first. I should probably cancel.

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mschulkind 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

You can do this with copilot, for the $40/mo range, AND you get to use opus 4.6 for all of it. Copilot is absurdly cheap if you can make it fit your work profile.

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dgellow 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I mean, in that case, cannot you do the same by just using sonnet instead of opus?

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zwaps 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

My man, have seen the Sonnet 4.6 tho

▲ eranation 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Computer use in the cloud is the main reason I use them. It's a game changer. It has its own dev env with a browser / shell and can test what it wrote (a bit of a hassle to set it up, but when it's working, wow)

▲ liuliu 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Brand recognition. Since "model-is-the-service", various previously-interesting companies become thin API resellers and the moat is between "selling a dollar for fifty cents" and Brand awareness.

I am not saying this in bad faith. Model companies cannot penetrate every niche with the same brand recognition as some other companies you would consider as "API resellers" do.

▲ tomjen3 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I won’t, but it does have a couple features Codex lags, including remote SSH (huge, because the easiest way to sandbox your agent is to put it into a VM), and the ability to kicking things of on your mobile and finishing up on your desktop (again, really nice if you get a good idea out on a walk, or while talking to a colleague.

These are features I am sure Codex will soon have, of course.

Then there is the advantage of multiple models: run a top level agent with an expensive model, that then kicks of other models that are less expensive - you can do this in Claude Code already (I believe), but obviously here you are limited to something like Haiku.

▲ jtrueb 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I kinda quit using it. The tab feature is useful when making minor or mundane changes, but I quite prefer the codex GUI if I am going to be relatively hands off with agents.

▲ babelfish 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Model independence

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bigyabai 4 days ago | parent [-]

That gap was closed by opencode months ago.

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babelfish 4 days ago | parent [-]

different products - CLI vs apps

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bigyabai 4 days ago | parent [-]

Not really, no. Coding CLIs are hugely popular with the "App user" crowd, see Claude Code.

	▲	simplyluke 4 days ago \| parent [-]
		I think that's more fashion than anything. Every company I've worked at has still had a few engineers who insist on working exclusively in the CLI with vim/emacs prior to AI. Every other engineer used some flavor of a desktop app ranging from more minimal editors to incredibly complex IDEs. I expect we land back on UIs long term.