The Tool Desk
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Cursor Agent can search a codebase, edit files, and run terminal commands. Its documentation describes Agent as “Cursor’s assistant that can complete complex coding tasks independently, run terminal commands, and edit code.” Cursor Agent overview
How to get useful results from these Cursor prompts
A strong prompt gives Cursor both intent and state: what outcome you want, and what is currently happening in the code. Attach known files or folders with @ mentions, or tell Agent to search when you are unsure where the implementation lives. Cursor’s guidance on working with context emphasizes supplying relevant context; its prompting documentation covers context attachment and @ mentions.
Replace bracketed text with details from your app. For investigation, use Ask and request an explanation or plan without edits. For implementation, use Agent and set a narrow scope. Review changes and run the checks that fit your project.
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Use this adaptable structure when a prompt needs more detail: “In [files or feature], [desired outcome]. Current behavior is [observable state]. Follow [project convention], keep changes within [scope], and [verification or explanation requested]. First inspect the relevant code; ask before expanding scope.”
Prompts for understanding a React codebase
1. Trace a component’s data flow
@[ComponentFile] Explain how this component receives, transforms, and displays its data. Trace relevant props, hooks, and child components. Do not edit files; cite the files and functions you used.
2. Find where a UI feature is implemented
Find the implementation of [feature or visible behavior] in this React project. Identify the main component, related state or data source, and any tests. Do not make changes. If there are multiple possible implementations, explain how they differ.
3. Explain a custom hook
@[HookFile] Explain what this hook does, what inputs it expects, what it returns, and when its effects or state updates run. Point out any dependencies on other files. Do not modify code.
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4. Map a route to its page
Find how the [route or URL] is registered and which React components render it. Trace any route parameters and data loading involved. Report the relevant files and do not edit anything.
5. Check the project’s component conventions
Inspect [folder or a few representative components] and summarize the conventions for props, styling, file names, and tests. Show one concise example from this codebase for each convention you identify. Do not change files.
6. Identify the source of a repeated render
Investigate why [component] appears to render repeatedly when [observable trigger]. Trace state and prop changes and identify plausible causes in this code. Do not edit files; distinguish evidence in the code from hypotheses.
Prompts for diagnosing React bugs
7. Diagnose a runtime error
@[RelevantFile] Diagnose this error: [paste exact message and stack trace]. Explain the likely cause in the code, identify the smallest relevant fix, and suggest a way to verify it. Do not edit files yet.
8. Trace a failed API request
Investigate why [screen or action] does not show the expected API data. Trace the request, response handling, and UI state in the relevant files. Consider loading, empty, and error states. Do not modify code; report what evidence supports your diagnosis.
9. Find a stale state value
In @[ComponentFile], investigate why [value] is outdated after [interaction]. Trace how it is read and updated, including event handlers and effects. Explain the cause and propose a minimal change, but do not implement it.
10. Debug a form that will not submit
Trace the submit flow for [form] in [file or feature]. Check validation, event handling, disabled states, and the request or callback. Explain why [observed failure] happens and suggest a focused fix without editing files.
11. Investigate a hydration or rendering mismatch
Inspect [page or component] for code that could render different output between the server and browser. Compare the relevant data, effects, and browser-only APIs. Explain the most likely cause of [warning or mismatch] and propose a fix; do not edit files.
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@[TestFile] Explain why this test fails: [paste failure output]. Trace the tested behavior into the implementation and distinguish a test issue from an application bug. Do not change files; recommend the smallest next step.
Prompts for focused React changes
13. Add a bounded feature
In [feature or named files], add [specific behavior]. Current behavior is [state]. Follow the existing component and styling patterns, keep the change limited to this feature, and add or update focused tests. Inspect first and ask before expanding scope. Afterward, summarize changed files and checks run.
14. Refactor a component without changing behavior
@[ComponentFile] Refactor this component to [specific goal, such as separate repeated rendering logic]. Preserve its current behavior, props, and accessibility. Keep edits to this component and any directly necessary tests. Explain the change and list checks run.
15. Extract repeated UI into a component
In [files or folder], identify the repeated [UI pattern]. Extract it into a reusable React component only if the existing code supports a clear shared interface. Preserve the current appearance and behavior; show which call sites change and add focused tests if appropriate.
16. Add an empty state
In @[RelevantFile], add an empty state for [data or list] when there are no results. Match existing UI patterns and keep loading, error, and populated states unchanged. Include an accessible message and update the relevant test.
17. Add loading and error states
For [screen or data request], make loading and failure states visible without changing the successful state. Inspect the existing request and component patterns first; limit edits to relevant files and tests. Summarize how each state is triggered.
18. Improve a form’s validation feedback
In @[FormFile], improve validation for [fields and rules]. Keep the current submission behavior and conventions. Make errors understandable and associated with their fields for assistive technology. Update focused tests and list the checks you ran.
19. Add a confirmation before a destructive action
In [component or feature], require confirmation before [destructive action]. Follow the project’s existing dialog or confirmation pattern; preserve cancellation and success behavior. Keep the scope to this action and relevant tests.
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Review @[ComponentFile] for keyboard access to [interaction]. Identify any existing accessibility patterns in this project, then make the smallest change needed for keyboard users while preserving pointer behavior. Update relevant tests and summarize the interaction.
Prompts for maintainability and performance
21. Reduce unnecessary work in a component
Inspect @[ComponentFile] for avoidable repeated calculations or renders associated with [observed situation]. Use evidence from this code to recommend a focused improvement; do not add memoization without a reason. Implement only the justified change and explain how to verify it.
22. Simplify a complex component
Review [component] for distinct responsibilities that make it hard to maintain. Propose a small refactor plan first, preserving its public behavior and project patterns. Do not implement until I approve the plan.
23. Remove dead code safely
Find code in [file or folder] that appears unused. Search for references across the project before proposing removal. Report evidence and likely risks; do not delete anything yet.
24. Strengthen TypeScript props
Review the props and related data types in @[ComponentFile]. Identify overly broad or missing types that can be improved without changing runtime behavior. Follow existing TypeScript conventions, keep edits limited, and run relevant type checks or tests if available.
25. Reduce duplicated conditional rendering
Inspect [files] for duplicated conditional UI related to [feature]. Suggest a small consolidation that preserves every current state and branch. Do not change behavior or broaden the refactor; include tests for the distinct cases.
26. Review effect dependencies
Review the effects in @[ComponentFile]. For each one, explain what triggers it and whether its dependencies match the values it reads. Flag possible stale values or unnecessary reruns, then propose narrowly scoped fixes without editing first.
Prompts for tests and code review
27. Write tests for a user-visible behavior
In [test file or component], add focused tests for [user-visible behavior], including [important edge cases]. Use the test framework and conventions already present in this project. Avoid testing implementation details; report the command you ran and its result.
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28. Review a change for regressions
Review my changes to [files or feature] for likely regressions, missed edge cases, accessibility issues, or mismatches with existing patterns. Do not edit code. Rank findings by severity and cite the relevant file and location; if you find none, say what you reviewed.
29. Explain a test-coverage gap
Inspect the tests for [feature or component]. Compare them with the user-visible states and behaviors in the implementation. Identify important untested cases and recommend the smallest useful test additions; do not edit files.
30. Verify a change before committing
For my changes in [files or feature], identify the relevant checks configured in this project. Run only appropriate tests, type checks, or lint commands; do not modify unrelated files. Report each command, whether it passed, and any failures that remain.
When to save a prompt as a Cursor rule
If an instruction recurs across tasks—such as a project’s testing convention or a requirement to preserve a particular component pattern—it may belong in a project rule rather than being pasted into every prompt. Cursor documents project rules in .cursor/rules as reusable, version-controlled instructions scoped to a codebase. Its rules documentation recommends keeping rules focused, actionable, and specific to relevant projects or files.
Use a project-wide rule for conventions that genuinely apply broadly; scope other rules to the files or directories they govern. Keep task-specific goals, current errors, and requested changes in the individual prompt. Rules provide reusable instructions, not a substitute for supplying the context of the current task.
Choose the right Cursor mode for the task
Cursor documents Ask as a read-only mode for exploration and Agent as the mode for autonomous coding tasks. The modes serve different purposes; neither is universally better. Start with investigation when the cause or scope is uncertain, then request a bounded implementation when you know what should change. See Cursor Modes and the Agent overview for current product details.
- Use Ask to trace code, explain an error, compare possible fixes, or request a plan without changing files.
- Use Agent when you want a defined change, have supplied relevant context and constraints, and are ready to review edits and verification.
For either mode, keep the request specific: name files when known, describe current behavior, and state what should remain unchanged. These prompts are starting points, not guarantees of correctness or measured time savings.
Quick Recap
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