Cursor AI - The Future of Coding

Ben Attanasio
17 Feb 202404:56

TLDRIn this tutorial, Ben demonstrates the creation of a speech-to-text web app using Cursor AI, a powerful tool that enhances Visual Studio Code with AI capabilities. He guides viewers through the process of setting up the project with a simple prompt, generating the necessary files, and running the app. The app successfully toggles speech recognition using Node.js, Express, and the browser's built-in capabilities. Ben also highlights advanced features like using markdown files as reusable prompts for code cleanup and bug fixes, showcasing Cursor AI's potential for rapid custom app development.

Takeaways

  • 🤖 The video introduces a speech to text web app built with Cursor AI, which is similar to VS Code but with additional AI capabilities.
  • 📝 To create the app, the user provides a prompt to Cursor AI, which then generates the project and file structure automatically.
  • 🔍 The prompt includes the desired app features, such as a toggle button for speech to text using Node.js, Express, and browser speech recognition.
  • 📂 The app's file structure and descriptions are generated based on the provided prompt, guiding the user through the necessary components.
  • ☕️ The process of creating the files and writing the code is automated, allowing the user to wait while Cursor AI completes the task.
  • 📖 Following the steps in the README is crucial to ensure the app works as expected after generation.
  • 🔧 The video demonstrates the successful creation and functionality of the speech to text feature in the app.
  • 🛠️ The video also showcases advanced usage of Cursor AI, such as using markdown files as reusable prompts for code cleanup and bug fixes.
  • 🔗 The 'dry code' feature is highlighted, which refactors repeated code into functions for cleaner code.
  • 🔄 The video mentions the need to refine initial prompts for better app creation and to monitor OpenAI API usage due to potential limitations.
  • 🚀 The potential of Cursor AI for rapid custom app creation is emphasized, suggesting a future where development can be significantly expedited.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic of the video is building a speech to text web app using Cursor AI, which is a tool similar to VS Code but with additional AI capabilities.

  • What is Cursor AI and how does it differ from VS Code?

    -Cursor AI is a development environment that offers AI capabilities on top of the standard features of VS Code. It can generate code, refactor code, and perform other AI-assisted tasks to enhance the coding process.

  • What is the purpose of the prompt in the video?

    -The prompt is used to guide Cursor AI in creating a new AI project with a specific structure and functionality. In this case, the prompt is to build a speech to text web app with a toggle button using node.js, Express, and browser speech recognition.

  • What are the steps involved in creating the speech to text web app as shown in the video?

    -The steps include creating a new AI project with a prompt, choosing the parent folder, naming the project, and letting Cursor AI generate the project files and code. After that, the user should follow the steps in the README to install dependencies, start the server, and test the app in the browser.

  • What is the significance of the 'readme' file in the project?

    -The 'readme' file provides instructions on how to set up and run the project. It is crucial for understanding the steps needed to get the app running after the project files have been generated.

  • How does the speech to text feature work in the web app?

    -The speech to text feature in the web app uses the built-in speech recognition capabilities of the browser, allowing users to toggle the feature on or off with a button.

  • What is the role of the 'run-cleanup' markdown file in the video?

    -The 'run-cleanup' markdown file serves as a reusable prompt for Cursor AI to perform general code clean up and bug fixes. It outlines actions for Cursor AI to take on the code, such as refactoring repeated code into a function.

  • What is the AI fix and chat feature in Cursor AI?

    -The AI fix and chat feature is a chat-like session within Cursor AI that allows users to interact with the AI to resolve code issues. Users can paste the code and the error, and the AI will suggest fixes.

  • Why is it important to monitor Open AI API calls when using Cursor AI?

    -It is important to monitor Open AI API calls because Cursor AI can consume a significant number of API calls, which may lead to increased costs. Users are advised to check their usage and consider upgrading to a pro subscription for unlimited GPT 4 generations.

  • What does the video suggest for users who want to refine their app development process with Cursor AI?

    -The video suggests creating and refining initial prompts and markdown files to build a dynamic system for the rapid creation of custom apps, which can significantly speed up the development process.

Outlines

00:00

🛠️ Building a Speech-to-Text Web App with Cursor AI

In this video, Ben demonstrates the creation of a speech-to-text web application using Cursor AI, a tool similar to Visual Studio Code but with integrated AI capabilities. He starts by creating a new AI project with a specific prompt that includes the desired functionality and technologies such as Node.js, Express, and browser speech recognition. Cursor AI then generates the project files and code structure automatically. After the files are created, Ben follows the steps in the README to run the application, which includes installing dependencies and starting the server. The app is successfully tested in the browser, showcasing its ability to toggle speech-to-text functionality.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cursor AI

Cursor AI is a coding tool that enhances the capabilities of a traditional code editor like Visual Studio Code by integrating AI functionalities. In the video, it is used to create a speech-to-text web app, demonstrating its ability to generate code and file structures based on a given prompt. It is central to the video's theme of showcasing the future of coding with AI assistance.

💡Speech to Text Web App

A speech-to-text web app is an application that enables users to convert spoken language into written text using their web browser. In the context of the video, Ben uses Cursor AI to build such an app with a button to toggle the speech recognition feature on or off, illustrating the practical application of AI in enhancing web development.

💡Node.js

Node.js is a cross-platform, open-source JavaScript runtime environment that executes JavaScript code outside a browser. It is used in the video to create the server-side logic for the speech-to-text web app, demonstrating its role in backend development and its compatibility with AI-assisted coding.

💡Express

Express is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework, providing a robust set of features for building single and multi-page, and hybrid web applications. In the video, it is used alongside Node.js to set up the server for the speech-to-text web app, showcasing its utility in web development projects.

💡Browser Speech Recognition

Browser Speech Recognition refers to the built-in functionality of modern web browsers to capture and process spoken language into text. In the video, this feature is utilized within the speech-to-text web app to enable real-time transcription of speech, highlighting the integration of native browser capabilities with AI-powered development.

💡AI Project

An AI project in the context of the video refers to a software development project that is created with the assistance of AI, like Cursor AI. The video demonstrates the creation of an AI project for a speech-to-text web app, emphasizing the ease and efficiency of AI in generating code and project structures.

💡File Structure

File structure refers to the organization of files and directories in a software project. In the video, Cursor AI is shown to automatically generate a file structure based on the project prompt, which includes various files necessary for the app, demonstrating the tool's ability to streamline the development process.

💡Prompt

In the context of AI-assisted coding, a prompt is a textual description or request given to the AI tool to guide the generation of code or project setup. Ben provides a prompt to Cursor AI to create the speech-to-text web app, and the tool uses this prompt to determine the necessary files and code.

💡API Calls

API calls refer to the requests made to an application programming interface (API) to perform certain operations or retrieve data. In the video, it is mentioned that Cursor AI consumes OpenAI API calls quickly, which implies the need to monitor usage and possibly upgrade for higher limits, showing the practical considerations when using AI tools.

💡Pro Subscription

A pro subscription, as mentioned in the video, is a premium service plan that offers additional features or resources beyond the basic service. For Cursor AI, upgrading to a pro subscription provides unlimited GPT-4 generations, which is beneficial for developers who rely heavily on AI for coding tasks.

💡Markdown

Markdown is a lightweight markup language used for creating formatted text using a simple syntax. In the video, a 'run-cleanup' Markdown file is used as a reusable prompt for Cursor AI to perform code clean-up and bug fixes, demonstrating the versatility of Markdown in AI-assisted coding workflows.

Highlights

Introduction to building a speech to text web app using Cursor AI.

Cursor AI is similar to VS Code but with additional AI capabilities.

Creating a new AI project with a prompt for Cursor to generate file structure.

The prompt includes building a web app with speech to text toggle using Node.js, Express, and browser speech recognition.

Cursor generates the necessary files and writes the code for the project.

Avoid clicking around while Cursor is generating to prevent disruptions.

Cursor completes the project generation in under 2 minutes.

Following the steps in the README to verify the app's functionality.

Installing dependencies and starting the server using npm.

The server runs on Port 3000, and the app can be accessed through a browser.

Demonstration of the speech to text toggle working in the web app.

Cursor's ability to censor speech is showcased.

Introduction of an expert, McKay Wriggley, who uses Cursor for code cleanup and bug fixes.

Using a markdown file as a reusable prompt for Cursor to perform actions on the code.

Cursor's refactoring capability to DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) code.

Accepting changes made by Cursor to clean up the code.

Cursor's AI fix and chat feature to resolve coding errors.

The potential of creating and refining prompts for rapid custom app creation.

The importance of monitoring Open AI API calls due to Cursor's usage.

Recommendation to upgrade to a pro Cursor subscription for unlimited GPT 4 generations.

Conclusion of the video with an invitation for questions and a sign-off.