How to 10x Your Development Speed with Cursor AI: A No-Nonsense Guide
Hey there! Tired of wrestling with AI coding assistants that seem to have a mind of their own? I get it. When I first started using Cursor AI, I hit the same wall everyone does—loads of promises, but plenty of errors. But here's the thing: After months of trial and error, I've cracked the code to making Cursor AI actually work for production-level applications. This guide is based on insights from AI Jason's excellent work (credit where credit's due!) and my own hands-on experience. Let's dive in.
The Truth About Cursor AI No One Tells You: Strategic Planning
Here's the thing about Cursor AI that most tutorials miss: It's not about writing perfect prompts. It's about setting up the right foundation. Think of it like building a house. You wouldn't start laying bricks without blueprints, would you? Same principle applies here.
Your Pre-Development Checklist
0. Starting Point
# 1. Project overview
xxxx
# 2. Core functionalities
xxxx
# 3. Doc (Code example of third party API)
xxxx
# 4. Current file structure
use tree -L 2 -I 'node_modules|.git' to generate it after you initiated the project
xxxx
# 5. Additional requirements
xxxx
1. Draft Your Initial PRD
First things first - create a rough draft that outlines:
- Project overview
- Core functionalities
Pro Tip: Don't worry about getting it perfect. This is just your foundation.
2. Research Package Requirements
Next, dive into the technical details:
- Research compatible packages for core functionalities
- Talk to Claude about potential libraries
- Test quick proof-of-concepts to verify compatibility
- Put the example code for API call in the Doc section of PRD
This step saves countless hours of trial and error later.
3. Let o1/Claude Design Your Project Structure
Here's where it gets interesting - leverage o1/Claude to:
- Design an optimal project structure
- Plan folder organization
- Map out component relationships
Why This Works: Claude can analyze your requirements and suggest structures that scale well.
Prompt in this step:
[initial PRD]
Above is the project i want to build, how should i structure my project files? (try to create as few files as possible)
4. Final PRD with o1/Claude
Finally, have o1/Claude help write your detailed PRD by:
- Expanding on your initial draft
- Adding technical specifications
- Creating comprehensive documentation
Real Talk: This four-step process might seem like overkill, but it's exactly what separates successful Cursor projects from frustrating ones.
Prompt in this step:
Help me adding details to the original PRD that give clear alignment to developers who will implement the project;
- dont create actual code, just the PRD
- including file structure & additional requirements into the doc
- including all documentations provided (with both example code & responses, those are important context)
This is how your final PRD should look like:
# YouTube Video Summarization App
## Project Overview
A Next.js 14 application that allows users to paste a YouTube URL and receive a summarized text with highlights. The app utilizes server-side rendering, Shadcn UI components for design, and Tailwind CSS for styling.
## Core Functionalities
### Home Page Input Box
**Description:** A centered input box for users to paste YouTube video links.
**Requirements:**
- Prominently displayed in the middle of the page
- Accepts full YouTube URLs and video IDs
- Validates URLs and extracts video IDs on submission
### Transcript Retrieval
**Description:** Uses YouTube Transcript API for downloading video transcripts.
**Requirements:**
- Handles cases where transcripts are unavailable
- Manages API limitations and errors efficiently
### Highlight Extraction
**Description:** Extracts 3 key highlights from video transcripts.
**Requirements:**
- Uses OpenAI's API for transcript processing
- Identifies and presents key highlights concisely
- Displays highlights at the summary's beginning
### Structured Summary Generation
**Description:** Generates structured video content summaries incorporating extracted highlights.
**Requirements:**
- Utilizes OpenAI's structured output with Zod schemas
- Ensures coherent and well-structured summaries
- Emphasizes highlights at the beginning
## File Structure
youtube-summary
├── README.md
├── app
│ ├── favicon.ico
│ ├── fonts
│ ├── globals.css
│ ├── layout.tsx # Layout component
│ ├── page.tsx # Home page with input box
│ └── [videoId] # Dynamic route
│ └── page.tsx # Server component
├── components
│ ├── youtube-link-input.tsx # Client component
│ └── summary-display.tsx # Summary component
├── lib
│ └── utils.ts # Utility functions
├── next-env.d.ts
├── next.config.mjs
├── package.json
├── postcss.config.mjs
├── tailwind.config.ts
├── tsconfig.json
└── yarn.lock
## Documentation
### Using OpenAI Structured Output
The application uses OpenAI's API for structured summaries using Zod schemas:
(Example Code)
## Additional Requirements
### General Guidelines
#### Component Placement
- All components go in `/components` directory
- Use kebab-case naming (e.g., `example-component.tsx`)
#### Page Placement
- New pages go in `/app` directory
- Use Next.js 14 app router
#### Data Fetching
- Perform in server components
- Pass data to client components via props
- Keep API keys secure in server components
#### Client Components
- Include `'use client'` directive
- Handle user interactions and UI state
### Technical Requirements
#### Next.js 14 App Router
- Utilize server and client components
- Optimize for performance
#### OpenAI API Integration
- Process transcripts and generate summaries
- Use Zod schemas for structured output
#### YouTube Transcript API
- Use `youtube-transcript` package
- Handle unavailable/restricted transcripts
#### Utility Functions
- Implement in `/lib/utils.ts`
- Ensure reusability and documentation
Implementation Strategy
Here's where most developers go wrong - they jump straight into coding. Instead, let's leverage your AI coding agent effectively:
1. Set Up Your Instructions
- Place your final PRD in
/instructions/instructions.md
2. Break Down Implementation
Now, in your Cursor composer, use this approach:
- Start Core Structure:
Let's build a [project name] based on @instructions.md.
Let's firstly build section 1.1
- Component-by-Component Build:
Great, now let's implement section 1.2
- Test & Iterate:
- Review each component after implementation
- Address any errors before moving to the next feature
Making Your UI Shine with V0
Here's a game-changing tip: Use V0 (Vercel's AI design tool) to enhance your UI.
The process is simple:
- Build core functionality first
- Copy component code to V0
- Generate enhanced designs
- Implement improved UI
Best Practices Cheat Sheet
Save this for reference:
Documentation Must-Haves
- ✅ Clear project overview
- ✅ Detailed functionality list
- ✅ File structure map
- ✅ API documentation
- ✅ Component breakdown
Workflow Optimization
- ✅ Break tasks into mini-steps
- ✅ Test each component individually
- ✅ Document errors and solutions
- ✅ Use version control
- ✅ Monitor AI usage costs
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
-
Rushing the Documentation Don't skip the planning phase. It's tempting, but it will cost you more time in the long run.
-
Overcomplicating Prompts Keep instructions clear and specific. More words doesn't mean better results.
-
Ignoring Error Patterns Document your errors. They're not just problems - they're learning opportunities.
Final Thoughts
Look, I get it - all this planning might feel like overkill. But after countless projects, I've learned that a solid PRD isn't just documentation - it's your secret weapon for success with Cursor AI.
Remember:The goal isn't to write perfect prompts; it's to build better applications with less frustration.
Start with a clear plan, trust the process, and watch how Cursor AI transforms from a fancy code editor into your most powerful development tool. Now go build something amazing! Happy coding! 🚀