Use Cursor

By the end of this guide, Cursor will understand your project and you will have made one visible change. You need your Ghoststack folder and a Cursor account. Install Cursor using the first step below, then get the starter code before opening the project. For Node.js and Git, follow Install Tools.

Step 1: Open the project in the editor

1. Download Cursor for your operating system, install it, and sign in.
2. If Cursor opens in its Agents Window, open the Command Palette with Cmd+Shift+P on Mac or Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux and choose Open IDE. This walkthrough uses the editor; both interfaces can work with your project.
3. Open your Ghoststack folder: the one containing package.json and AGENTS.md.
4. Open Agent with Cmd+I on Mac or Ctrl+I on Windows/Linux.
5. Paste this prompt:

Read AGENTS.md and package.json. Explain how to run this app and where
I would change its landing page. I'm new to coding. Do not edit files yet.

Cursor should point to app/page.tsx and npm run dev. If it describes a different project, check which folder you opened. Use the model recommended in your installed Cursor version; available models and usage depend on your account. See the official quickstart if your screen looks different.

Step 2: Make a small change

Follow workspace setup to start the local preview, then ask:

Change the headline in app/page.tsx to "[YOUR HEADLINE]".
Follow AGENTS.md. Show me the changed files and how to check the result.

Replace [YOUR HEADLINE] with your own words. Review the changes Cursor shows, reload the browser, and save a Git commit — a saved version of your code once the result looks right.

For larger changes, select Plan in the mode picker or press Shift+Tab in the chat input. Review the plan before asking Cursor to build it. A small edit like this headline can use Agent directly. Plan Mode.

To undo an agent change, hover over an earlier message and choose Restore Checkpoint. This rolls back agent changes after that point. Cursor's checkpoints are local and separate from Git; use Git commits for lasting saved versions. Recovery help.

Optional: use Cursor in the terminal

The editor is enough to get started. Cursor also has a CLI, which runs its agent in a terminal. Installing Cursor's editor and installing its agent CLI are separate steps.

Follow the official CLI installation guide. Its current commands are:

Mac, Linux, or Windows inside WSL:

curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash

Windows PowerShell:

irm 'https://cursor.com/install?win32=true' | iex

Then check the installation and sign in:

agent --version
agent login

Open a terminal in your Ghoststack folder and run agent. Use the same first prompt above. agent status checks your Cursor login; agent update updates the CLI. If your terminal cannot find agent, reopen it and follow the installation guide's PATH instructions. CLI authentication.

The CLI shares the editor's project rules and MCP configuration. To explore code without editing, use /ask; for a plan, use /plan. Review requested commands before approving them. Using the CLI.

What remembers your project?

Ghoststack already includes the instructions it needs:

Cursor also supports AGENTS.md inside subfolders and scoped .mdc rules in .cursor/rules/. The starter's existing files are sufficient; a second copy of every rule is unnecessary. See Cursor's rules reference and Ghoststack's memory guide.

Personal preferences belong in Cursor's Customize → Rules area. These differ from shared instructions committed with the app. Cursor also reads CLAUDE.md, so avoid adding contradictory instructions there. Rules settings.

If Cursor cannot find a file, try attaching it with @ and its filename. If it is still missing, check the folder you opened and file-access troubleshooting. Ignore rules can affect discovery; .cursorignore does not block terminal or MCP access. Ignore-file reference.

Optional: connect an MCP tool

An MCP connection gives the agent tools for a service, such as inspecting your Supabase database. It does not configure the app's environment variables or create its database automatically.

For the editor, current Cursor versions offer Customize → MCPs. Choose a server from the provider's official listing, select Add to Cursor, and follow its authentication prompts. See the current MCP setup screen if these labels have moved.

For the project's supplied configuration:

1. Open .cursor/mcp.example.json and copy only the server entries you need into .cursor/mcp.json. Merge with an existing file instead of replacing it.
2. For Supabase, replace YOUR_PROJECT_REF with your development project's reference. Keep read_only=true for the first connection check.
3. In Cursor, enable that server and follow the provider's authentication instructions. Complete browser sign-in where supported. Check the account and project before granting access.

The .example.json file is a template: Cursor does not activate it automatically. Project configuration lives at .cursor/mcp.json; personal configuration for all projects lives at ~/.cursor/mcp.json, where ~ means your home folder. Ghoststack ignores the project configuration in Git. Keep credentials out of shared files and chat. Configuration reference.

If you use the CLI, run these from your project folder after adding the Supabase entry:

agent mcp list
agent mcp login supabase
agent mcp list-tools supabase

Sign in when prompted. agent mcp list shows connection status and whether configuration came from the project or your personal settings. CLI MCP commands.

Then ask Cursor to list the tables in your development database without changing anything. Check the actual tool response and intended project; a database with no tables yet can be a valid result. See MCP setup for service-specific authentication and the later steps that need write access.

Optional: plugins, skills, and editor extensions

• Agent plugins bundle capabilities such as skills, rules, or MCP connections. In Customize, find a plugin, select Install, and choose project or user scope. Check its publisher and requested access. Official plugin guide.
• Skills are reusable workflows loaded when relevant. Cursor recognizes project skills at .agents/skills/[NAME]/SKILL.md and .cursor/skills/[NAME]/SKILL.md. View discovered skills under Customize → Skills. Add one when you repeat a task; your first edit needs none. Skills reference.
• Editor extensions add editor features such as language support. Use the Extensions panel, search, and select Install. Cursor uses the Open VSX registry, so availability can differ from Microsoft's VS Code marketplace. These are separate from agent plugins. Extension guide.

Done when

• Cursor identifies this project and its instructions.
• Your first edit appears in the local preview and you have reviewed the changed files.
• If you added an MCP, its tool list is visible and a read-only request returns a result from the intended service.

Continue with prompting and project memory to build your first feature.