Debian based installation for Linux

Feature Requests
1

Cursor version: 0.48.6
OS version: Ubuntu 24.04

As of today, Linux based support is done via AppImages, while it is versatile its a pain for updates and shortcuts with nothing supported out of the box. Can you please look into adding “DEB/RPM” file based installation methods for Linux based operating systems.

5 Likes
2

Windsurf has a deb. These guys cant produce it. They’ve been trying for over a year now.

3

Agreed. I cant fathom working with an appimage as a daily driver even if others have implemented a work around. Updates just dont work well. Any how decided to switch next month onwards.

4

ChatGPT o4-mini-high wrote this for me and working:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# Brief: This script auto-generates and runs a temporary installer for Cursor IDE.
# It prompts for the AppImage URL, downloads the AppImage and icon, creates a desktop entry,
# sets up a launcher script, and updates the system caches — all without exiting your shell on errors.

# Create and run a temporary installer script for Cursor IDE

tmpfile=$(mktemp /tmp/cursor_installer.XXXXXX) || { echo "[ERROR] Failed to create temp file"; exit 1; }

cat << 'EOF' > "$tmpfile"
#!/usr/bin/env bash
# Exit on error, undefined var, or pipe failure
set -euo pipefail

# Log everything to console and log file
LOG_FILE="${HOME}/.cursor_install.log"
exec > >(tee -a "$LOG_FILE") 2>&1

# Pause on any error inside this installer
trap 'echo "[ERROR] Line $LINENO. See $LOG_FILE for details."; read -p "Press Enter to exit installer..."; exit 1' ERR

echo "[INFO] Starting Cursor IDE installation..."

# Prompt user for the AppImage download URL
echo "[TIP] You can find the latest download URL at:
  • https://github.com/oslook/cursor-ai-downloads
  • https://www.cursor.com/downloads"
read -p "Enter the Cursor AppImage download URL: " -r DOWNLOAD_URL
# Derive filename from URL
APPIMAGE_NAME=$(basename "$DOWNLOAD_URL")

# Installation directories
APP_DIR="${HOME}/Applications"
ICON_DIR="${HOME}/.local/share/icons"
DESKTOP_DIR="${HOME}/.local/share/applications"
BIN_DIR="${HOME}/.local/bin"
ICON_URL="https://www.cursor.com/brand/icon.svg"

# Paths
APPIMAGE_PATH="${APP_DIR}/${APPIMAGE_NAME}"
ICON_PATH="${ICON_DIR}/cursor-icon.svg"
DESKTOP_FILE_PATH="${DESKTOP_DIR}/cursor.desktop"
LAUNCHER_SCRIPT="${BIN_DIR}/cursor"

# Create necessary directories
mkdir -p "$APP_DIR" "$ICON_DIR" "$DESKTOP_DIR" "$BIN_DIR"

echo "[INFO] Ensuring curl is available..."
if ! command -v curl >/dev/null; then
  echo "[INFO] Installing curl..."
  sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y curl
else
  echo "[INFO] curl found."
fi

echo "[INFO] Downloading Cursor AppImage from $DOWNLOAD_URL..."
curl -fL "$DOWNLOAD_URL" -o "$APPIMAGE_PATH"
chmod +x "$APPIMAGE_PATH"
echo "[INFO] AppImage saved to $APPIMAGE_PATH"

# Download icon if not present
echo "[INFO] Checking icon..."
if [ ! -f "$ICON_PATH" ]; then
  curl -fsSL "$ICON_URL" -o "$ICON_PATH"
  echo "[INFO] Icon saved to $ICON_PATH"
else
  echo "[INFO] Icon already exists."
fi

# Write the .desktop entry
echo "[INFO] Writing desktop entry to $DESKTOP_FILE_PATH..."
cat > "$DESKTOP_FILE_PATH" << EOD
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Cursor IDE
Exec=$LAUNCHER_SCRIPT %F
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Icon=$ICON_PATH
StartupWMClass=Cursor
Comment=AI-first coding environment
Categories=Development;Utility;
MimeType=application/x-executable;
EOD
chmod +x "$DESKTOP_FILE_PATH"

echo "[INFO] Creating launcher script at $LAUNCHER_SCRIPT..."
cat > "$LAUNCHER_SCRIPT" << 'EOD'
#!/usr/bin/env bash
exec "${HOME}/Applications/${APPIMAGE_NAME}" --no-sandbox "$@"
EOD
chmod +x "$LAUNCHER_SCRIPT"

# Refresh desktop and icon caches if available
echo "[INFO] Updating desktop database and icon cache..."
command -v update-desktop-database >/dev/null && update-desktop-database "$DESKTOP_DIR" || echo "[WARN] update-desktop-database not available"
command -v gtk-update-icon-cache >/dev/null && gtk-update-icon-cache -f -t "$ICON_DIR" || echo "[WARN] gtk-update-icon-cache not available"

echo "[INFO] Installation complete. Run 'cursor' in a new terminal to launch Cursor IDE."
EOF

# Execute installer and then clean up
bash "$tmpfile"
rm -f "$tmpfile"
5

You guys are absolutely correct. Not providing an install script is like shooting yourself in the foot. How many peeps are going to give up and go to an IDE that just works. I’m going back to W—surf.