Improving Cursor AI Code Generation Through Interactive Questioning

Posted by u/ragnhildensteiner6 months agoCurated from Reddit

Project Information

Project Type
Small
Type of Project
AI-Assisted Development
Problem Type
AI Tool Usage Optimization

Tags

ai-coding-assistant
prompt-engineering
code-generation
best-practices
cursor-ai
developer-tools

AI Models Mentioned

Cursor AI
Code generation and assistance

Summary

A user shares a valuable tip for improving code generation quality in Cursor AI by explicitly requesting it to ask clarifying questions. The post highlights how adding a simple prompt rule can prevent hallucinated code and lead to more accurate, contextually appropriate code generation through interactive refinement.

Prompt

Ask me any questions if it makes your instructions clearer

Best Practices

Enable Interactive Questioning in Cursor AI

critical

Add a rule requesting Cursor to ask clarifying questions when instructions are unclear

Provide Clear Initial Requirements

important

Avoid vague prompts like 'code stuff' when working with Cursor AI

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid Vague Prompts

critical

Don't use generic or unclear prompts like 'code stuff' with Cursor AI

Don't Accept Initial Output Without Clarification

important

Avoid accepting Cursor's first code generation attempt without engaging in clarifying questions

Related Posts

Medium project
Development Tooling Analysis

Comprehensive Guide to Cursor AI Features: Agents, Composer, and Chat - Real-world Usage Patterns

Tool Usage Guidelines

A software engineer and dev agency owner shares their experience using Cursor AI over two months, breaking down the strengths and limitations of three main features: Cursor Agents, Composer, and Chat. The post provides practical guidelines for when to use each feature effectively, based on real-world project implementation experience.

cursor-ai
developer-tools
productivity
+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
AI Tool Usage Guidelines

Proper Usage Guidelines for AI Coding Assistants: Understanding Cursor's Role

Educational/Best Practices Discussion

A critical discussion about the misuse and misunderstanding of the Cursor AI coding assistant. The post emphasizes that users should treat Cursor as a helpful tool rather than a complete replacement for human developers, drawing an analogy to calculator usage.

ai-coding-assistant
developer-tools
best-practices
+3 more
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
Developer Tools Integration

User Experience Comparison: Cursor vs Cody AI Coding Assistants

Tool Evaluation and Comparison

A developer shares their positive experience switching from Sourcegraph's Cody to Cursor as their AI coding assistant. The user particularly highlights Cursor's superior code modification capabilities and well-designed interface, noting that it significantly improves their coding workflow compared to Cody's limitations with applying changes.

ai-coding-assistant
developer-tools
productivity
+4 more