DAIR.AI

OVERVIEW

This course focuses on teaching how to code with AI and build AI-powered applications with Cursor.

After completing the course, students will have a solid understanding of how to use Cursor and how to build web applications with it.

PREREQUISITES

All the code examples are built around Python so a basic understanding of Python is required.

The main tool you will use is Cursor. More details and instructions about how to install Cursor are provided in the course.

We also recommend you get a Pro account for Cursor. You could get started with the 14-day trial but keep in mind that there might be differences in functionalities and behaviors.

You will also need an OpenAI paid account to access your own API Keys. This will be needed for the final project.

SYLLABUS

Introduction to Cursor

• Get a complete overview of Cursor, a powerful AI-powered code editor designed to enhance your programming workflow.
• Follow a step-by-step guide to download, install, and configure Cursor, including understanding its pricing and core settings.
• Set up your first project by cloning the course repository and creating a Conda environment to run the hands-on examples.

Cursor Tab

• Master Cursor Tab, the AI-powered autocomplete feature that predicts and suggests your next edits across multiple lines.
• Learn to leverage advanced features like multiline edits, smart rewrites that fix mistakes as you type, and cursor prediction to seamlessly navigate your code.
• Explore how to use partial accept to selectively apply code suggestions, giving you fine-grained control over the generated code.

Cursor Chat

• Discover Cursor Chat, an integrated AI assistant that helps you understand and interact with your code base.
• Learn how to provide specific context to the chat—including files, documentation, and web links—using the @ symbol for more relevant answers.
• Master the art of debugging by feeding terminal errors back into the chat and asking for solutions.

⌘ K

• Master ⌘ K, an in-editor command palette that allows you to generate and edit code without leaving your current file.
• Learn to use Fast Edits on selected code, ask Quick Questions to understand snippets, and generate new code from scratch.
• Discover how to use ⌘ K in the integrated terminal to translate plain English into executable shell commands.

Composer

• Explore Composer, Cursor's most powerful AI coding assistant that can proactively write code, modify multiple files, and build applications from scratch.
• Learn the difference between Composer's normal mode for code exploration and its agent mode for automating complex development tasks.
• Understand how to use checkpoints to safely revert file changes made by the agent, ensuring you always have control over your project.

More Features

• Learn how to use Cursor's AI features to automatically fix linter errors and debug your code directly within the editor.
• Discover how to interact with the integrated terminal using natural language to generate and execute commands.
• Understand how to add external documentation as a persistent knowledge source for your projects.

Building an AI App with Cursor

• Apply your skills to a final project: building a complete AI-powered web application from scratch using Cursor's Composer agent.
• Learn to guide the agent through high-level planning to build the backend logic, including a web scraper and a Markdown converter.
• Use an image-based prompt to instruct the agent to build the frontend, and then collaborate with it to test, debug, and add final touches to the live application.

Here's a subset of companies whose employees have benefitted from our courses:

Accrete, Airbnb, Alston & Bird, Amazon, Apple, Arm, Asana, Bank of America, Belong For Me, Biogen, Brilliant, Carebound, CDM, CentralReach, Centric Software, Chime, Coinbase, Digital Green, DoHQ, Elekta, Fidelity Investments, Fivecast, Fulcrum Labs, Google, Guru, Gretel, Harrison Insights, Intel, Intuit, Jina AI, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Khan Academy, KnowBe4, Lawyer.com, LinkedIn, LionSentry, MagmaLabs, MasterClass, Meta, Metopio, Microsoft, Moneta Health, Oracle, OpenAI, Rechat AI, RingCentral, Salesforce, Scale AI, Scribd, Space-O Technologies, Sun Life, TD Bank, TELUS Corporations, Trilogy, TTEC Digital, UniCredit, VaxCalc Labs, Vendr, Walmart, Wolfram Alpha, Zemoso Technologies, Zeplin

Reach out to [email protected] for any questions and team/student discounts.