Cursor AI: how I work with agents without losing control
Cursor is an AI code editor that can answer questions, plan work and edit many files at once. These notes summarise the habits that make it useful instead of risky. They go with my Cursor videos on YouTube.
By Faisal Al Anqoudi · Muscat, Oman · Updated
Watch the companion video on YouTube ↗Pick the right mode
- Ask: understand code and get answers without changing anything.
- Plan: have the AI write a plan first, then read and fix the plan before any code changes.
- Agent: let it edit files and run commands once the plan is clear.
Keep every change reviewable
- Ask for small steps, not a whole app in one prompt.
- Read the diff before accepting. You are still the engineer.
- Commit often so you can always go back.
- Run the tests or the app after each step.
Connect tools with MCP
MCP servers let the agent use real tools such as a database, a browser or your issue tracker. Give each one the minimum permission it needs, because an agent with broad access can do broad damage.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I build an app without writing code?
- You can get far, but understanding what the code does still matters for security and for fixing bugs. I cover a full app build in my two-hour Cursor course (in Arabic).
Let's talk about your project
Book a short call and tell me what you want to build.