Feature request for product/service
Cursor IDE
Describe the request
Goal
Position Cursor as the primary AI interaction surface on personal computers, not just an AI IDE.
Cursor already launches into an agent interaction UI. With small changes it can become the default interface for interacting with AI, development tools, and the local machine, expanding into IDE workflows only when needed.
1. Dual Interaction Modes
Allow Cursor to launch in either:
Agent Mode
Refactor authentication
Analyze this repo
Deploy this project
Terminal Mode
git status
pnpm install
docker compose up
Users should be able to set a default mode and toggle between them easily.
2. Shell Commands from Agent Mode
Allow shell commands directly inside the agent input via a prefix:
!command
Examples:
!npm test
!git checkout feature-x
!ls
This removes the need for a separate terminal panel and creates a single unified command surface.
3. Lightweight Interaction Mode
Introduce a lightweight small-window or menubar mode for quick ephemeral tasks.
Characteristics:
- small window without cutting off the screen
- fast startup
- minimal UI
- ideal for quick questions or automation and ephemeral commands
Users can expand from this mode into full IDE mode when deeper interaction is needed.
4. Rich Agent Response UI (Future)
Unlike terminal agents, Cursor can provide richer UI responses using its Electron-based interface.
Possible artefacts from Agent response:
- cards
- structured outputs
- interactive previews
- markdown extensions
This differentiates Cursor from terminal-based tools like Claude Code.