I’ve been using Claude Code in the terminal for a while now, and it’s been genuinely useful. I built out a pretty nice command center for building: zellij for terminal multiplexing, ghostty for the terminal emulator, and lazygit for version control UI. It was just enough and it worked well for me.
But I’m checking out Cursor again, and it’s not just about personal preference. Many of the designers at Zapier are starting to use Cursor over tools like V0, and if I’m going to be helpful when they run into issues or have questions about how to use it effectively, I need to understand their experience. It’s hard to offer good advice about a tool you’re not actively using.
Beyond that practical reason, I’m finding myself reaching for Cursor more often anyway. Not because it’s radically different, but because it removes just enough friction that I’m actually enjoying the experience.
Better formatting, less cognitive load
The first thing I noticed was how much more readable everything is. Markdown renders properly, code blocks are syntax-highlighted, and the overall text formatting just feels more polished. It’s a small thing, but when you’re spending hours reading AI-generated responses, readability matters.
It doesn’t fight my workflow
Here’s what turned me off from other AI coding tools in the past: they tried to “help” by changing how I work. Forcing me into work trees, creating unusual directory structures, adding layers of abstraction I didn’t ask for. It felt like I was learning their system rather than augmenting mine.
Cursor doesn’t do that. It integrates with my existing workflow rather than replacing it. I can use normal git commands, create branches, push and pull, close out branches—all the familiar patterns I’ve built up over years.
And crucially, it’s accessible. My terminal setup was powerful but had a learning curve. Cursor just works for the rest of the team without requiring them to learn zellij keybindings or configure a bunch of tools.
Parallel agents for isolated fixes
A surprising unlock for me is running multiple agents in parallel. I’m not trying to parallelmaxx or anything like that. But it’s useful to have one agent working on a main task while I spin up another to fix a few isolated bugs.
It’s the difference between context-switching manually and letting the tool handle the separation for you. When those bugs are truly independent, this feels like a superpower.
The embedded browser changes everything
But honestly? The embedded browser might be the biggest win. Being able to select specific elements on a page and chat directly about them is so much more convenient than the old workflow of describing what I want, pasting screenshots, copying links, and hoping the AI understands the context.
Pointing and clicking wins every time.
I’m not saying Cursor is perfect or that everyone should switch. But for me, it’s hit a sweet spot: powerful enough to be genuinely useful, but restrained enough that it doesn’t try to reinvent my entire development environment.