Install scripts and shell integration?

Feature Requests
1

I asked Cursor to make a Cursor install or update script for Cursor, and Cursor did it and tested it over several agentic steps.

Here it is for Ubuntu + Cinnamon

#!/bin/bash

# Cursor IDE Installation & Integration Script for Linux
# This script sets up Cursor IDE with desktop integration, file associations, and update capability

set -e # Exit on error

# Text formatting
BOLD="\033[1m"
GREEN="\033[0;32m"
BLUE="\033[0;34m"
RED="\033[0;31m"
RESET="\033[0m"

echo -e "${BOLD}${GREEN}===== Cursor IDE Installation & Integration Script =====${RESET}"
echo -e "This script will set up Cursor IDE with proper desktop integration"
echo ""

# Determine current user home directory
USER_HOME="$HOME"
echo -e "${BLUE}User home directory: ${USER_HOME}${RESET}"

# Create necessary directories
echo -e "${BLUE}Creating necessary directories...${RESET}"
mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor"
mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/applications"
mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/mime/packages"
mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps"
mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/mimetypes"
mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}/.icons"
mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}/.local/bin"

# Check if AppImage exists
APPIMAGE=""
APPIMAGE_DOWNLOAD="no"

# Look for AppImage in Downloads
if [ -f "${USER_HOME}/Downloads/cursor-"*"x86_64.AppImage" ]; then
    APPIMAGE=$(find "${USER_HOME}/Downloads" -name "cursor-*x86_64.AppImage" | sort -r | head -1)
    echo -e "${BLUE}Found Cursor AppImage: ${APPIMAGE}${RESET}"
else
    echo -e "${BLUE}No Cursor AppImage found in Downloads folder. Would you like to download it? (yes/no)${RESET}"
    read -p "Download Cursor AppImage? " APPIMAGE_DOWNLOAD
    
    if [ "$APPIMAGE_DOWNLOAD" = "yes" ] || [ "$APPIMAGE_DOWNLOAD" = "y" ]; then
        echo -e "${BLUE}Downloading Cursor AppImage...${RESET}"
        wget -O "${USER_HOME}/Downloads/cursor-latest-linux.AppImage" "https://download.cursor.sh/linux/appImage/x64"
        APPIMAGE="${USER_HOME}/Downloads/cursor-latest-linux.AppImage"
    else
        echo -e "${RED}Please download the Cursor AppImage from https://cursor.sh/ and run this script again.${RESET}"
        exit 1
    fi
fi

# Copy AppImage to application directory
echo -e "${BLUE}Installing Cursor AppImage...${RESET}"
cp "$APPIMAGE" "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor/cursor.AppImage"
chmod +x "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor/cursor.AppImage"

# Extract AppImage to get icon and other resources
echo -e "${BLUE}Extracting AppImage for resources...${RESET}"
TMP_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
cd "$TMP_DIR"
"${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor/cursor.AppImage" --appimage-extract >/dev/null 2>&1

# Get icons from the AppImage
if [ -f "$TMP_DIR/squashfs-root/usr/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/cursor.png" ]; then
    echo -e "${BLUE}Found icon in AppImage, copying...${RESET}"
    cp "$TMP_DIR/squashfs-root/usr/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/cursor.png" "${USER_HOME}/.icons/cursor.png"
    cp "$TMP_DIR/squashfs-root/usr/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/cursor.png" "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/cursor.png"
    cp "$TMP_DIR/squashfs-root/usr/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/cursor.png" "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/mimetypes/application-x-cursor-workspace.png"
else
    echo -e "${RED}Icon not found in AppImage, downloading default icon...${RESET}"
    # Download Cursor icon
    wget -O "${USER_HOME}/.icons/cursor.png" "https://www.cursor.com/favicon.ico"
    cp "${USER_HOME}/.icons/cursor.png" "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/cursor.png"
    cp "${USER_HOME}/.icons/cursor.png" "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/mimetypes/application-x-cursor-workspace.png"
fi

# Create symbolic link in ~/.local/bin
echo -e "${BLUE}Creating command-line launcher...${RESET}"
ln -sf "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor/cursor.AppImage" "${USER_HOME}/.local/bin/cursor"
chmod +x "${USER_HOME}/.local/bin/cursor"

# Ensure PATH includes ~/.local/bin
if ! grep -q "export PATH=\"\$HOME/.local/bin:\$PATH\"" "$HOME/.bashrc"; then
    echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> "$HOME/.bashrc"
    echo -e "${BLUE}Added ~/.local/bin to PATH in .bashrc${RESET}"
else
    echo -e "${BLUE}~/.local/bin already in PATH, skipping${RESET}"
fi

# Create desktop entry for Cursor
echo -e "${BLUE}Creating desktop entries...${RESET}"
cat > "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/applications/cursor.desktop" << EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Cursor AI Code Editor
GenericName=Code Editor
Comment=AI-powered code editor for developers
Exec=${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor/cursor.AppImage %F
TryExec=${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor/cursor.AppImage
Icon=${USER_HOME}/.icons/cursor.png
Terminal=false
Categories=Development;IDE;TextEditor;
MimeType=text/plain;inode/directory;application/x-cursor-workspace;
Keywords=cursor;code;editor;ai;development;programming;
StartupWMClass=Cursor
EOF
chmod +x "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/applications/cursor.desktop"

# Create desktop shortcut
cp "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/applications/cursor.desktop" "${USER_HOME}/Desktop/cursor.desktop"
chmod +x "${USER_HOME}/Desktop/cursor.desktop"

# Create update script
echo -e "${BLUE}Creating update script...${RESET}"
cat > "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor/update-cursor.sh" << EOF
#!/bin/bash

# Script to update Cursor to the latest version
CURSOR_DIR="${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor"
APPIMAGE_URL="https://download.cursor.sh/linux/appImage/x64"
TEMP_FILE="\$CURSOR_DIR/cursor_temp.AppImage"

echo "Updating Cursor to the latest version..."

# Download the latest version
wget -q --show-progress -O "\$TEMP_FILE" "\$APPIMAGE_URL"

if [ \$? -eq 0 ]; then
    # Make it executable
    chmod +x "\$TEMP_FILE"
    
    # Backup current version
    if [ -f "\$CURSOR_DIR/cursor.AppImage" ]; then
        mv "\$CURSOR_DIR/cursor.AppImage" "\$CURSOR_DIR/cursor.AppImage.backup"
    fi
    
    # Move the downloaded file to replace the current version
    mv "\$TEMP_FILE" "\$CURSOR_DIR/cursor.AppImage"
    
    echo "Cursor has been updated successfully!"
else
    echo "Failed to download the latest version of Cursor."
    rm -f "\$TEMP_FILE"
    exit 1
fi

exit 0
EOF
chmod +x "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor/update-cursor.sh"

# Create desktop entry for update script
cat > "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/applications/cursor-update.desktop" << EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Update Cursor IDE
GenericName=Update Tool
Comment=Update Cursor IDE to the latest version
Exec=${USER_HOME}/.local/share/cursor/update-cursor.sh
Icon=${USER_HOME}/.icons/cursor.png
Terminal=true
Categories=Development;Utility;
Keywords=cursor;update;upgrade;
StartupNotify=true
EOF
chmod +x "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/applications/cursor-update.desktop"

# Create MIME type for .cursor-workspace files
echo -e "${BLUE}Setting up file associations...${RESET}"
cat > "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/mime/packages/application-x-cursor-workspace.xml" << EOF
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<mime-info xmlns="http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/shared-mime-info">
  <mime-type type="application/x-cursor-workspace">
    <comment>Cursor Workspace</comment>
    <glob pattern="*.cursor-workspace"/>
    <generic-icon name="cursor"/>
  </mime-type>
</mime-info>
EOF

# Create mimeapps.list entry
MIMEAPPS="${USER_HOME}/.config/mimeapps.list"
if [ ! -f "$MIMEAPPS" ]; then
    mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}/.config"
    echo -e "[Default Applications]\n[Added Associations]" > "$MIMEAPPS"
fi

# Ensure Cursor is added to mimeapps.list without duplicates
if ! grep -q "application/x-cursor-workspace=cursor.desktop" "$MIMEAPPS"; then
    echo -e "${BLUE}Adding MIME associations to mimeapps.list...${RESET}"
    
    # Add to [Default Applications] section if not already present
    if ! grep -q "application/x-cursor-workspace=" "$MIMEAPPS"; then
        sed -i '/\[Default Applications\]/a application/x-cursor-workspace=cursor.desktop' "$MIMEAPPS"
    fi
    
    # Add to [Added Associations] section if not already present
    if ! grep -q "application/x-cursor-workspace=" "$MIMEAPPS"; then
        sed -i '/\[Added Associations\]/a application/x-cursor-workspace=cursor.desktop;' "$MIMEAPPS"
    fi
    
    # Add folder association (but don't make it default) if not already present
    if ! grep -q "inode/directory=.*cursor.desktop" "$MIMEAPPS"; then
        # Check if entry exists and append to it, otherwise create new entry
        if grep -q "inode/directory=" "$MIMEAPPS"; then
            # Append to existing entry
            sed -i '/inode\/directory=/s/;*$/;cursor.desktop;/' "$MIMEAPPS"
        else
            # Create new entry
            sed -i '/\[Added Associations\]/a inode/directory=cursor.desktop;' "$MIMEAPPS"
        fi
    fi
fi

# Update MIME and icon databases
echo -e "${BLUE}Updating system databases...${RESET}"
update-mime-database "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/mime"
gtk-update-icon-cache -f -t "${USER_HOME}/.local/share/icons/hicolor"

# Create test workspace file if it doesn't exist
if [ ! -f "${USER_HOME}/test-workspace.cursor-workspace" ]; then
    echo -e "${BLUE}Creating test workspace file...${RESET}"
    cat > "${USER_HOME}/test-workspace.cursor-workspace" << EOF
{
  "folders": [
    {
      "path": "${USER_HOME}"
    }
  ],
  "settings": {}
}
EOF
else
    echo -e "${BLUE}Test workspace file already exists, skipping...${RESET}"
fi

# Clean up
echo -e "${BLUE}Cleaning up temporary files...${RESET}"
rm -rf "$TMP_DIR"

echo -e "${BOLD}${GREEN}===== Cursor IDE Setup Complete! =====${RESET}"
echo -e "Cursor IDE has been successfully installed with desktop integration."
echo -e "You can find Cursor in your applications menu, on your desktop, or run it with the 'cursor' command."
echo -e "To update Cursor, use the 'Update Cursor IDE' application in your menu."
echo -e "A test workspace file has been created at ${USER_HOME}/test-workspace.cursor-workspace"
echo -e ""
echo -e "${BOLD}${GREEN}Enjoy using Cursor IDE!${RESET}"

While this was solved for about 0.20 USD, will there be an official supported version for Desktop icon + Folder right click + workspace file + launch app Menu + taskbar panel + icons + command line support for launching Cursor in Linux?

2

Hi, just took a similar approach to vibe-qa (great name btw, sounds like you’re up to some fun stuff) and wondering if there will the ability to boot Cursor with an API key / login info? Scaling Cursor usage with a business account would be easier if one could start it in a logged-in state.

1 Like
3

A binary download wouldn’t be able to do that, but if the main website provided a different download script once you’re logged in, it could be done.