IDEs: Your Development Environment
What IDEs are and how to use them. Jesse uses Cursor (we will too), but you can also use VSCode, Zed, Continue, Loveable, etc.
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IDEs: Your Development Environment
An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is your coding workspace. It's where you will spend most of your time building AI products.
What IDEs Provide
- Code Editor - Syntax highlighting, autocomplete, error detection
- File Browser - Navigate your project structure easily
- Terminal - Run commands without leaving the IDE
- Debugger - Find and fix bugs efficiently
- Extensions - Add language support and features
- Git Integration - Commit, push, pull from the IDE
- AI Assistance - Modern IDEs include AI features
Cursor (Jesse's Choice - Used Throughout This Course)
Why Jesse uses Cursor:
"It removes 80% of tedious work. Agent Mode lets me describe what I want and watch it build across multiple files. I pay $200/month for the Ultra plan because the value is insane."
Key Features:
- AI-powered VS Code fork (familiar interface)
- Entire codebase context awareness
- Agent Mode (Cmd+I) - Builds features for you
- Inline Edit (Cmd+K) - AI edits selected code
- Chat (Cmd+L) - Ask questions about your code
- Fast autocomplete with AI predictions
- Works with local models via Ollama
Pricing: Free trial, $20/month Pro, $200/month Ultra
VS Code (Most Popular Free Alternative)
code.visualstudio.com | Documentation
- Free and open source from Microsoft
- Huge extension marketplace (50,000+ extensions)
- GitHub Copilot integration available ($10/month)
- Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Industry standard used by most developers
- Best for: Budget-conscious, prefer open source
Other AI-Powered IDEs
Zed
- Blazing fast performance (written in Rust)
- Multiplayer editing built-in
- AI-assisted coding
- Minimalist, modern design
Windsurf
- From Codeium (AI coding company)
- Built-in AI features (no separate subscription)
- Good alternative to GitHub Copilot
- Free tier available
Continue
- Open source AI coding assistant
- Works as VS Code extension
- Use any LLM (OpenAI, Claude, local models)
- Privacy-focused option
- Completely free
No-Code Alternatives
Loveable (formerly GPT Engineer)
Natural language to full application. No coding required. Great for prototypes.
Bolt.new
StackBlitz AI app builder. Browser-based, instant preview, deploy-ready.
v0.dev
Vercel's AI UI generator. Describe UI, get React code. Copy/paste or integrate.
Replit
Browser-based IDE with AI assistance. Code, run, and deploy all in browser.
Why Cursor for This Course
All course videos use Cursor. You will learn Jesse's exact workflow, keyboard shortcuts, and Agent Mode techniques. The course shows real development as it happens.
But you can use alternatives! The concepts (prompt engineering, RAG, agents) apply regardless of your IDE choice. Use what works for you.
Try a Few Before Deciding
Download 2-3 different IDEs and try them out. Pick whichever feels best for your workflow. Many developers use Cursor for AI projects and VS Code for other work.
Next Lesson
In the next lesson, you will get Cursor installed and configured with Jesse's recommended settings.