Cursor AI Review: Your First AI Coding Tool? Start Here

Week 1: Holy Shit This Actually Works

Downloaded Cursor on a Tuesday because I was stuck on a React state management problem that had me googling for two hours. Highlighted my broken code, typed "fix this useState issue," and it actually fixed it. Not just with a band-aid solution - it explained why my dependency array was wrong and showed me the proper pattern.

First week was pure magic. Built a weather app in an afternoon that would've taken me a weekend before. The AI suggested using a loading state I hadn't thought of, handled error boundaries I always forget about, and even made the CSS responsive without me asking.

The wow moments:

• Asked it to "add dark mode" to my app and it updated every component consistently using CSS custom properties
• It caught a bug where I was comparing strings with === instead of using proper date comparison
• Automatically suggested using TypeScript interfaces when it noticed I was doing manual type checking

The reality check:

• Sometimes suggests overly complex solutions (wanted to add Redux for a simple todo app)
• Generated code that worked but I didn't understand, which bit me later when debugging
• Free tier ran out after 6 days of heavy use

Week 2-3: Learning the Quirks

The honeymoon phase ended when I tried to build something more complex - a full-stack app with JWT authentication. Cursor kept suggesting patterns that didn't match what I was building. Turns out AI is only as good as your prompts.

What I learned to do:

• Be specific: "Add JWT authentication with express and bcrypt" instead of "add login"
• Use the @ symbol to give it context: @package.json @auth.js "help me debug this middleware"
• Ask it to explain solutions before implementing them
• Keep conversations focused on one problem at a time

What stopped working:

• Vague requests like "make this better" (it has no idea what you consider better)
• Asking it to fix problems without showing the error messages
• Expecting it to understand business requirements ("make it user-friendly" means nothing)

The AI is incredibly literal. It does exactly what you ask for, not what you meant to ask for. This taught me to be more precise about requirements, which actually made me a better developer.

Week 4: The $67 Bill Reality Check

My first month's bill was $67, not the advertised $20. Turns out the free tier doesn't count, and "unlimited" has some very specific limits. Every time you use the smarter AI models (which you want for complex problems), it costs more tokens.

Hidden costs I discovered:

• RAM upgrade: My 16GB MacBook started throttling, had to close everything else while coding
• Higher internet bill: Working from coffee shops became impossible due to bandwidth needs
• Productivity guilt: Felt like cheating when the AI solved problems I "should" know how to fix

But here's the thing - I shipped three projects that month. Before Cursor, I'd start projects and abandon them when I hit roadblocks. Now I actually finish stuff because the AI helps me push through the boring/frustrating parts. Studies show AI coding tools significantly improve completion rates for side projects.

What I Wish I Knew Before Starting

Start with small projects. Don't try to build the next Facebook on day one. Practice with todo apps, weather widgets, simple CRUD operations. Let the AI handle the repetitive stuff while you learn the patterns.

Read the code it generates. Don't just copy-paste blindly. Ask follow-up questions: "Why did you use useCallback here?" or "What's this regex doing?" The AI is usually happy to explain.

Keep a "manual coding" day once a week. Turn off all AI assistance and try to solve problems the old way. It keeps your fundamentals sharp and helps you understand when the AI suggestions don't make sense.

Budget for the real cost. Plan for $50-70/month, not $20. And maybe upgrade your hardware if you're on an older laptop. The productivity gains cover the cost if you're serious about coding, but it's not pocket change.

The Honest Bottom Line for Beginners

Cursor won't make you a senior developer overnight, but it'll help you build actual projects while learning. Instead of spending weeks on tutorials that you forget immediately, you'll be creating portfolio pieces that demonstrate real skills.

The AI handles the syntax and boilerplate, so you can focus on learning architecture, user experience, and problem-solving. These are the skills that actually matter for getting hired or building your own products.

Three months later, I'm building stuff I couldn't have imagined before. Not because the AI is magic, but because it removed the friction that used to make me quit when projects got hard.

For complete beginners: Start with Cursor. Learn the fundamentals while building real projects.

For experienced developers: Try it for a month. It'll either revolutionize your workflow or confirm that you prefer doing things the traditional way.

For broke college students: Maybe stick with free alternatives until you're making developer money. The productivity gains are real, but so is the monthly bill.

Just remember - the goal isn't to become dependent on AI, it's to build cool shit faster while learning along the way. Cursor is really good at helping with that.

The Uncomfortable Truth About AI Coding Tools

Here's what the YouTube tutorials and marketing sites won't tell you: using AI to code before understanding the fundamentals is controversial as hell.

Traditional programmers argue you should suffer through manual debugging, memorize syntax, and really understand how every line works before touching AI tools. They have a point - there's value in struggling through problems yourself, as discussed in this Stack Overflow developer survey.

But I think they're wrong for beginners in 2025. Here's why:

Why I'd Recommend Cursor to My Past Self

Three years ago, I tried to learn web development the "proper" way. Spent months watching YouTube tutorials, following along with code I barely understood, building the same todo app seventeen times because every tutorial used slightly different approaches.

I quit after six months because I never built anything that felt real. Everything was just following along with someone else's vision, never implementing my own ideas.

With Cursor, I would've been building original projects from week one. Messy, imperfect projects that I actually cared about finishing. The AI would've handled the boring syntax stuff while I focused on learning the interesting parts - software architecture, user experience, solving real problems.

The Learning Curve Is Different, Not Easier

Don't mistake AI-assisted coding for easy coding. You still need to:

• Understand the problem you're trying to solve (AI can't read your mind)
• Break down complex features into smaller pieces (AI works best with specific requests)
• Debug when things go wrong (and they will, constantly) using browser dev tools
• Make architectural decisions (should this be a React component or three separate ones?)
• Test and iterate on your solutions (first AI suggestions aren't always best)

The difference is you're learning these skills while building real projects instead of following tutorials. You're making mistakes on your own ideas, which stick in your memory better than mistakes on someone else's todo app.

When Cursor Specifically Makes Sense for Beginners

You have specific projects in mind. If you want to build a portfolio site, a simple SaaS tool, or automate something annoying in your daily life, Cursor will help you actually complete these projects instead of getting stuck on implementation details.

You learn better by doing than studying. Some people need to understand theory first. Others need to see things work, then figure out why. If you're in the second group, AI tools are perfect. This aligns with constructivist learning theory.

You're career changing and need results fast. If you're 30+ and trying to break into tech, you don't have four years for computer science fundamentals. You need a portfolio of working projects as quickly as possible.

You get discouraged easily. If you're the type who abandons projects when they get hard, AI assistance might be the difference between becoming a developer and giving up entirely.

When You Should Skip Cursor (For Now)

You're in a formal program. If you're in a coding bootcamp, CS degree, or structured course, learn their way first. You want to prove you can solve problems independently before adding AI assistance.

Money is genuinely tight. $70/month is real money. If you're choosing between Cursor and groceries, stick with free tools like VS Code with GitHub Copilot until you're earning developer income.

You want to understand everything deeply. If you're the type who needs to understand exactly how React's virtual DOM works before using useState, traditional learning might suit you better.

You have 8GB RAM or less. Seriously, don't torture yourself. Upgrade your hardware first or use cloud-based alternatives like GitHub Codespaces.

My Honest Algorithm for Deciding

Ask yourself: "Do I want to be building original projects in my first month, or do I want to understand computer science theory first?"

Neither approach is wrong. Theory-first people often become better fundamental programmers. Project-first people often build more interesting stuff and get hired faster.

I'm naturally a project-first person. I wanted to build things that solved problems I actually had, not implement sorting algorithms I'd never use. Cursor let me do that from day one.

The Real Question: AI Native vs AI Assisted

Here's the philosophical choice you're really making:

AI Assisted: Learn fundamentals first, add AI tools later for productivity

• Pro: Deep understanding, can code without AI if needed
• Con: Slower initial progress, might quit before seeing real results

AI Native: Start with AI tools, learn fundamentals while building projects

• Pro: Fast results, build real projects immediately
• Con: Possible over-dependence, might miss important concepts

I chose AI Native and don't regret it. Three months later, I'm building stuff I'm genuinely proud of and learning the theory as needed to solve specific problems in my projects.

But there's no wrong choice here. The best approach is the one that keeps you motivated and coding consistently.

Bottom Line Recommendation

If you have $70/month and 16GB+ RAM: Try Cursor for two months. Build something you actually want to use. If you love it, keep going. If you feel like you're missing important fundamentals, switch to traditional learning and come back later.

If you're resource-constrained: Start with VS Code and free tutorials. When you get your first developer job or finish your first few projects manually, revisit AI tools.

If you're completely unsure: Download Cursor's free trial. Spend the free credits building something small but personally meaningful. Your reaction to that experience will tell you everything you need to know.

The revolution is happening whether you join it now or later. But there's no shame in joining at your own pace, with your own resources, when it feels right for your situation.

Just don't let perfectionism or fear of "cheating" prevent you from building cool shit. The world needs more working software, regardless of how it gets created.