Effective Cursor AI Usage: Best Practices for Large React Projects with Proper Context Management

Posted by u/Still_Lifeguard_22257 months agoCurated from Reddit

Project Information

Project Type
Large
Type of Project
Frontend Web Development
Problem Type
AI-Assisted Development Workflow Optimization

Tags

react
ai-assisted-development
documentation
best-practices
monorepo
cursor-ai
workflow-optimization
context-management

AI Models Mentioned

Claude 3.5 Sonnet
Code generation and analysis
Cursor AI
IDE-integrated code generation and assistance

Summary

A developer shares their successful experience using Cursor AI in a large React monorepo, emphasizing the importance of proper context and documentation. The post details a systematic approach to working with Cursor, including custom rules, documentation practices, and interaction patterns that enable the AI to handle 95% of coding tasks effectively.

Prompt

Create a comprehensive .cursorrules configuration for a React monorepo that includes:

1. Technical stack details:
- React framework specifics
- Code style preferences
- Folder structure conventions

2. Documentation requirements:
- File-level documentation format
- Feature requirement documentation structure
- TODO comment conventions

3. Development workflow preferences:
- Code generation approach
- Testing requirements
- Error handling conventions

Please provide the configuration in a format that can be directly used in a .cursorrules file, with explanatory comments for each section.

Best Practices

Comprehensive Feature Documentation

critical

Create markdown files for each large feature with functional requirements before implementation

Interactive Requirement Gathering

important

Prompt AI to ask questions and engage in dialogue to flesh out requirements

File-Level Documentation

important

Add explanatory comments at the top of each file describing its purpose and key decisions

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid Over-Engineering

critical

Don't let Cursor implement complex solutions by default without proper planning

Don't Skip Context Setup

critical

Avoid using Cursor without proper context and rules configuration

Related Posts

Medium project
AI-Assisted Development Workflow

Optimizing Cursor AI Workflow: Best Practices and Challenges in AI-Assisted Development

Workflow Optimization

A developer shares their 4-month experience using Cursor Pro, detailing specific workflow optimizations and challenges. The post covers successful strategies like .cursorrules optimization, debug statement usage, and context management, while also highlighting limitations with less common technologies like Firebase/TypeScript, SwiftUI, and Svelte 5.

ai-assisted-development
developer-tools
workflow-optimization
+4 more
Small project
Web Development

Effective Cursor AI Usage: Context and Composition Strategies for Non-Developers

AI Tool Usage Guide

A detailed guide on effectively using Cursor AI for web development, particularly for users with minimal coding experience. The post emphasizes the importance of providing proper context through file tagging, documentation links, and structured composer sessions, while offering practical workflows for managing AI-assisted development.

cursor-ai
web-development
ai-assisted-development
+5 more
Large project
Full Stack Development with AI Integration

Best Practices for Using Cursor AI in Large-Scale Projects

Development Workflow Optimization

A comprehensive guide on effectively using Cursor AI in larger codebases, focusing on project organization, documentation management, and workflow optimization. The post details specific strategies for maintaining project structure, handling documentation, and ensuring consistent development practices with Cursor AI integration.

cursor-ai
project-management
documentation
+4 more
Medium project
Full-stack Web Application

Practical Experience Using Cursor AI: Best Practices and Integration with Modern Web Stack

Developer Experience / AI Tool Integration

A developer shares their hands-on experience using Cursor AI with a Pro subscription for web development. The post details practical workflows, integration with Next.js/React stack, and strategies for effective AI-assisted development, including version control practices and custom rules configuration.

ai-assisted-development
web-development
developer-tools
+4 more
Large project
Development Workflow

Optimizing Cursor IDE Workflow: Best Practices for Large-Scale Development

Workflow Optimization

A comprehensive guide from an experienced developer on effectively using Cursor IDE for large-scale projects. The post covers test-driven development approaches, task management strategies, documentation practices, and voice-based programming workflows, with particular emphasis on using Composer Agent for enhanced productivity.

cursor-ide
workflow
test-driven-development
+5 more