---
slug: how-to-use-cursor-ai
title: "How to Use Cursor AI: Setup and Integration for Production Projects"
author: henry
status: inbox
priority: HIGH
created: 2026-01-10
source: seo-research-additional-opportunities
---

# Idea

## Discovery

**Source:** Additional SEO research for Henry — 2026-01-10
**Evidence:**
- "how to use cursor ai" = 880 monthly searches
- KD: 14 (LOW — very achievable)
- Search intent: Informational/Tutorial
- Target audience: Developers adopting Cursor, teams evaluating AI tools, experienced devs optimizing workflows

## Why This Matters

Strong tutorial opportunity:
- 880 searches = solid volume
- KD 14 = low competition
- Cursor = hot tool RIGHT NOW
- Henry's production experience = differentiation
- Technical depth sets apart from basic tutorials

## Content Angle

**Title:** "How to Use Cursor AI: Setup and Integration for Production Projects"

**Henry's Approach:**
- Technical tutorial from experienced developer perspective
- Focus on production use, not demos
- Cover setup, configuration, real workflows
- Include gotchas from actual client projects
- Performance and architecture considerations
- "Here's what actually works" pragmatism

**Structure:**
1. Opening: "Ran into an interesting Cursor workflow issue yesterday. Realized most tutorials skip the production details. Here's what matters."
2. Initial setup (quick, reference-style)
3. Configuration that matters:
   - Settings for production work
   - API limits and considerations
   - Context window optimization
4. Real workflow integration:
   - Fullstack project structure
   - Multi-file changes
   - Refactoring patterns
5. Advanced usage:
   - Custom commands
   - Composer vs Chat modes
   - When to use each
6. Performance considerations:
   - Context size impact
   - API rate limits in practice
   - Cost management
7. Common issues and solutions:
   - Context misses
   - Large codebase handling
   - Integration with existing tools
8. What works, what doesn't (honest assessment)
9. Code examples from real projects
10. Closing: "That's the production approach. Now go build."

## Why This Works for Henry

Perfect for his expertise and voice:
- Production-focused (not toy examples)
- 12 years experience shows in depth
- Technical architecture considerations
- Performance and cost awareness
- Direct, pragmatic tone
- Real project gotchas

## Keywords Cluster

| Keyword | Vol | KD | Priority |
|---------|-----|----|----------|
| how to use cursor ai | 880 | 14 | PRIMARY |
| cursor ai tutorial | — | — | Synonym |
| cursor ai setup | — | — | Include |
| cursor ai best practices | — | — | Intent |

## Secondary Keywords

- "cursor ai for production"
- "cursor ai workflow"
- "cursor ai tips"
- "cursor ai configuration"

## Technical Depth Required

**Henry's Style:**
- Production-grade configuration
- Architecture considerations
- Cost and performance trade-offs
- Integration with existing tooling
- Real codebase examples
- No hand-holding, assumes experienced devs

**Key Technical Sections:**
1. **Configuration:**
   - .cursorrules file
   - Project-specific settings
   - Context optimization

2. **Workflow Integration:**
   - Git workflow with Cursor
   - CI/CD considerations
   - Team collaboration

3. **Performance:**
   - Context window management
   - API usage patterns
   - Cost optimization

4. **Advanced Patterns:**
   - Custom commands
   - Multi-file refactoring
   - Architecture queries

## Content Format

**Henry's Style:**
- Code-heavy (30% code blocks)
- Real configuration files
- Terminal output examples
- Architecture considerations
- No fluff, direct information
- "In my experience..." insights

## Differentiation

Most Cursor tutorials:
- Basic setup only
- Demo projects
- No production considerations

Henry's angle:
- Production-focused from day 1
- Real project examples
- Architecture and performance depth
- Cost considerations
- Team collaboration aspects
- "Back in the Webpack days..." perspective

## Strategic Value

**Why This Article Matters:**
- KD 14 = very achievable
- Cursor is trending NOW
- 880 searches = solid volume
- Technical depth = differentiation
- Experienced dev perspective
- Can rank quickly with quality

## Production Considerations

Henry should cover:
- Large codebase handling
- Context window limitations
- API rate limits in practice
- Cost management strategies
- Team settings and collaboration
- Integration with existing workflows
- CI/CD compatibility

## Notes

- Cursor is hot topic RIGHT NOW — good timing
- KD 14 = low, should rank well
- Production focus = Henry's differentiator
- Experienced dev audience (not beginners)
- Can include GitHub examples
- Update as Cursor evolves
- "Ran into this yesterday..." opening style

## Related Content Chain

This connects to:
- Cursor vs alternatives (comparison)
- Claude Code tutorial (alternative tool)
- AI-assisted development workflows (broader topic)
- Cursor + image generation (Banatie integration)

## Publication Priority

**HIGH PRIORITY** — KD 14 (very low), Cursor is trending, 880 vol. Should be one of Henry's first 3 articles. Production focus differentiates from basic tutorials.
