Thanks for your kind feedback. I’ll definitely take all of these notes into consideration. I’ve also provided more context in this related post: Many Prompts to solve a simple task! - Discussions - Cursor - Community Forum
To clarify, I’ve already experimented with Ask Mode, Plan Mode, and Agent Mode in different scenarios. I’ve also tested prompt variations (short, detailed, structured) and even used Planner and third-party tools like Perplexity to refine execution. Despite this, I continue to run into issues where very basic features consume hours and dozens of prompts.
Examples:
- Soft delete/trash system: Every time I attempt to implement soft delete (move file to Trash, then allow user to choose between soft delete or full delete), the application crashes. It took over 2 hours and 12+ prompts, but each fix introduced new regressions.
- Folder management system: Adding a simple pop-up to add/delete folders took over 9 hours and 20–30 prompts. Each iteration either repeated the same bug or created new ones.
- Filter/sort menu: Clicking items in the menu unexpectedly changes location. Despite multiple prompts and Planner use, the issue persists.
The solution I’m building (a DAM application) is complex, but these are foundational features. If the base functionality were stable, I could reduce complexity by templating and reusing components rather than re-describing them for every new feature.
The main critical issue is that I’ve consumed my monthly utilization bandwidth just trying to fix these basic features, and I still haven’t even moved on to more complex adjustments like AI face recognition and detections. These features were working in a previous version, but due to extended errors, I had to revert, losing a full week of work and rebuilding from scratch, which is devastating.
To answer your questions directly:
- Modes used: Ask, Plan, and Agent (depending on task).
- cursorrules file: Not yet configured, but I see how this could help constrain changes.
- Breakage: Typically console errors or crashes, sometimes visual bugs, and often regressions in unrelated features.
- Codebase size: Medium-sized, with multiple modules for file management, UI, and integrations.
I’d appreciate any specific guidance on how to stabilize these foundational features so I can build on them without spending disproportionate time on repetitive fixes