<!-- TOC: Quick Start | THE EXACT PROMPT | Commands | Settings | References -->

Cursor CLI

Core Capability: Control the Cursor AI-powered code editor (VS Code fork) from the command line.

Quick Start

# Open current directory
cursor .

# Open file at specific line
cursor /path/to/file.ts:42

# Compare two files
cursor --diff file1.ts file2.ts

# Use as git editor
git config --global core.editor "cursor --wait"

THE EXACT PROMPT — Open Files

# Open file
cursor /path/to/file.ts

# Open at specific line
cursor /path/to/file.ts:42

# Open at line and column
cursor /path/to/file.ts:42:10

# Open multiple files
cursor file1.ts file2.ts file3.ts

# Open in new window
cursor -n /path/to/project

# Reuse existing window
cursor -r /path/to/file

THE EXACT PROMPT — Diff and Wait

# Compare two files
cursor --diff file1.ts file2.ts
cursor -d file1.ts file2.ts

# Wait for file to close (scripts/git)
cursor --wait /path/to/file
cursor -w /path/to/file

# Use as git editor
git config --global core.editor "cursor --wait"

THE EXACT PROMPT — Extensions

# List installed extensions
cursor --list-extensions

# Install extension
cursor --install-extension <extension-id>

# Uninstall extension
cursor --uninstall-extension <extension-id>

# Disable all extensions
cursor --disable-extensions

Essential Commands

Settings Locations

Portable Mode

# Custom user data directory
cursor --user-data-dir /path/to/data

# Custom extensions directory
cursor --extensions-dir /path/to/extensions

Piping Input

# Read from stdin
echo "console.log('hello')" | cursor -

# Pipe file contents
cat script.ts | cursor -

Debugging

# Show version
cursor --version

# Show help
cursor --help

# Verbose output
cursor --verbose /path/to/file

# Inspect extensions
cursor --inspect-extensions

References