Quick Guide: Setting Up and Using Cursor with Claude 3.7

As a CTO who’s constantly exploring ways to boost development efficiency, I’ve tested nearly every AI coding assistant on the market (if this is even possible as every day we have a new tool in the market). 

Most promise the moon but deliver marginal improvements at best. Cursor with Claude 3.7 is different – it’s the first tool that genuinely transforms how I work with code.

I recently built a complete mobile budget tracking app from scratch in under 12 hours using this combination, and I want to share how you can harness the same capabilities. This isn’t about replacing developers – it’s about making skilled developers dramatically more productive.

What Makes Cursor Different?

Before diving into setup, let’s understand why Cursor stands out:

1. Multi-file awareness – Unlike other AI coding tools, Cursor understands your entire project context
2. Code review workflow – You maintain control by accepting/rejecting changes, similar to a PR review
3. Precise edits – Cursor makes targeted changes without disrupting your codebase
4. Fast execution – The Claude 3.7 integration is remarkably quick, reducing waiting time

How To Set Up Cursor with Claude 3.7 – Step by Step

Step 1: Install Cursor

First, download and install Cursor from cursor.so. It’s available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Step 2: Configure Claude 3.7 Integration

Once installed:

1. Open Cursor and go to Settings (gear icon in the bottom left)
2. Navigate to “AI” in the settings menu
3. Under “Model,” select “Claude 3.7 Sonnet”
4. If you’re on the free trial, you’ll have ~150-200 prompts to start with
5. For continuous use, subscribe to Cursor Pro plan

Step 3: Set Up Project Context

Cursor works best when it understands your project’s scope and structure:

1. Create comprehensive project specifications using codeguide.dev – this tool structures requirements in a format optimized for AI coding assistants, creating clear boundaries and constraints
2. Add detailed architecture documentation that outlines the component structure and data flow
3. Use Project Rules (recommended) under Settings → AI → Prompt Recommendations to define project-wide context, coding standards, and architectural guidelines
4. Set up a .cursorignore file for files you don’t want Cursor to analyze (like dependency folders such as node_modules, which could seriously disrupt the project context).

Step 4: Working Effectively with Cursor and Claude

From my experience building the DailyBudget app with Cursor, here are the key workflow patterns I’ve found most effective:

Creating New Components

To create a new React/React Native component, try:

Create a BudgetStats component that displays the total budget, amount spent, and remaining budget with appropriate color coding based on status. It should accept a budgetPeriod object and transactions array as props, and follow our application's theme-aware styling patterns.Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Multi-File Changes

When your change affects multiple files:

I need to implement the budget calendar visualization across the app. This will require:
1. Creating a BudgetCalendar component that shows daily spending status
2. Adding color coding for different spending states (under budget, near limit, over budget)
3. Adding a "today" indicator for the current day
4. Making sure it shows correctly in both BudgetPeriodScreen and BudgetTimeframesScreen

Please implement these changes across the relevant files.Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Refactoring Duplicated Logic

When you notice code duplication:

I notice we're duplicating budget calculation logic in BudgetPeriodScreen.tsx and BudgetTimeframesScreen.tsx. Please extract the calculateDailyBudget and calculateAccumulatedBudget functions into a utils/budgetCalculations.ts file and update both screens to use these shared utilities.Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Web Search Integration

Add @web to your prompts to help Cursor find relevant documentation:

@web How do I implement a date picker component in React Native that works across both web and native platforms? Please create a reusable DatePicker component that we can use in both AddTransactionScreen and AddTimeframeScreen.Code language: PHP (php)

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

From my experience, here are some challenges you might encounter and how to address them:

1. Visual Implementation Challenges

Claude isn’t great at visual details. For UI work:

• Provide specific design requirements or mockups
• Break complex UIs into smaller components
• Focus on one element at a time
• Be precise about spacing, colors, and layout

2. Code Organization

Cursor tends to implement features directly rather than creating reusable structures:

• Explicitly ask for code organization (e.g., “Create a reusable hook for this logic”)
• Regularly audit and refactor duplicated code
• Provide clear architectural guidance in your prompts

3. Git Management

Let Cursor handle code, but manage git yourself:

• Make focused, purposeful prompts that align with committed boundaries
• Use your terminal for committing rather than asking Cursor to manage git
• Create meaningful commits after significant feature additions

Maximizing Your Efficiency

These practical tips will help you get the most out of Cursor:

1. Start with clear specifications – The better you define what you want, the better the output
2. Use incremental changes – Build complexity gradually instead of asking for everything at once
3. Be explicit about patterns – Tell Cursor about your preferred patterns and architecture
4. Maintain quality control – Always review suggestions before accepting them
5. Learn the right prompting style – Invest time in learning how to communicate effectively with Claude

Conclusion: Real Productivity, Not Just Hype

Cursor with Claude 3.7 isn’t a magic solution that eliminates the need for development expertise. Instead, it’s a powerful tool that amplifies what skilled developers can accomplish.

In my testing, it’s reduced development time by approximately 50% for features I’d normally implement myself for initial implementation (and 20-30% for overall performance in production-ready apps).

The DailyBudget app would typically take 40-50 hours to build (if not more), but I completed it in just 8-12 hours using this approach (brainstorming with LLM included).

That’s not incremental improvement – it’s transformative. But it requires you to understand what you’re building and how to guide the AI effectively.

In my next article, I’ll walk through how I built a complete mobile app from scratch in under 20 hours using this approach, detailing the step-by-step process from ideation to deployment.