Why More Developers Are Switching from VS Code to Cursor AI

This blog post is based on the real-world experience of Internet Made Coder, a YouTuber who shared his personal journey of transitioning from VS Code to Cursor AI. The following content summarizes and interprets his review, highlighting key insights from his 2–3 weeks of hands-on use.

Table of Contents

1. Switching from VS Code to Cursor AI
2. Cursor AI: Basic Usage and Features
3. Key Cursor AI Features and How to Use Them
4. Pros and Cons: Cursor AI vs. VS Code
5. The Future of Programming with AI Tools

1. Switching from VS Code to Cursor AI

After using Visual Studio Code (VS Code) for more than three years, he decided to fully switch to a next-generation, AI-powered code editor called Cursor AI.

He shared that the switch was not without its challenges but ultimately brought a noticeable improvement in productivity. His insights are based on 2 to 3 weeks of consistent use.

While Cursor AI isn’t perfect, he believes it has the potential to become an essential tool for modern developers. His review is not sponsored; it reflects his honest, unbiased opinion.

2. Cursor AI: Basic Usage and Features

One of the first things he appreciated about Cursor AI was how seamlessly it imported his existing VS Code settings. The interface looked familiar, which made it easy to get started.

He noted several core features:

• A UI nearly identical to VS Code
• An integrated AI assistant similar to ChatGPT, toggled with Command + L
• The AI reads, writes, and understands the code’s context within the entire project
• All code suggestions are shown as GitHub-style pull requests, which he could accept or reject
• Cursor AI worked efficiently with frameworks like React, Django, and Node.js

For him, it was a natural evolution of his development environment rather than a replacement.

3. Key Cursor AI Features and How to Use Them

Real-Time AI Chat

He often selected blocks of code and asked the AI to fix bugs, refactor logic, or even write new functionality. This interaction happened naturally through the side chat panel.

Multi-File Generation

When starting a new project, he used Command + I to bring up the AI-powered composer. Cursor AI would then generate multiple files at once, significantly speeding up boilerplate setup for:

• React apps
• Django projects
• REST APIs
• Authentication and routing structures

AI Commands Within the Editor

He made use of several shortcuts:

• Highlight → “Add to Chat” for targeted questions
• Shift + Command + L → Open AI chat
• Command + K → Inline editing commands
• Paste documentation links so the AI could learn and apply it to his project

According to him, these features drastically reduced context switching and accelerated development.

4. Cursor AI vs. VS Code: Pros and Cons

Pros (as noted by Internet Made Coder)

• Minimal transition time due to VS Code-like interface
• Faster development with AI-assisted code writing
• Efficient pull-request style changes for better control
• Helpful for solo projects and prototyping
• Encourages cleaner, more structured code

Cons

• Cursor AI sometimes lagged with large files or heavy projects
• The AI occasionally made unwanted changes or misunderstood pasted code
• Not as polished or snappy as VS Code in some areas
• He warned beginners not to rely solely on AI without solid foundational knowledge

In his view, while Cursor AI offers massive potential, it’s best used by developers who already understand what the AI is doing.

5. The Future of Programming with AI Tools

He believes programming is shifting toward natural language-driven development. Developers will increasingly spend less time writing code line-by-line and more time describing what they want software to do.

Cursor AI is an early glimpse into this future. By 2025, he predicts developers will:

• Write prompts instead of code
• Let AI handle structure and syntax
• Review and refine what the AI produces

He emphasized the growing need for AI prompt engineering skills and encouraged new developers to focus not only on code but also on learning how to collaborate with AI effectively.

He also noted the importance of building educational ecosystems that support learners in this new environment—combining coding fundamentals, AI tool usage, and career readiness.

Final Thoughts

In his conclusion, Internet Made Coder described Cursor AI as an imperfect but powerful tool that helped him code faster and smarter. Though it doesn’t completely replace the developer’s role, it augments it in meaningful ways.

For any developer curious about AI in software development, he suggests giving Cursor AI a try—but with the understanding that AI is a tool, not a substitute for core programming skills.

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