Every founder I know fantasizes about speed. “If only we could build faster…” It’s the refrain of late-night Slack messages, sprint retros, and Monday standups.
But here’s the secret: speed alone is worthless. Raw speed without structure is just chaos on wheels.
The real unlock is structured speed — moving fast in a way that compounds. And for me, that structured speed lives inside Cursor, the AI-powered IDE that has quietly become the cockpit of my startup factory.
Cursor isn’t just auto complete on steroids. It’s closer to a Formula 1 pit crew hiding inside your code editor. Alone, you could eventually swap the tires, refuel, and tweak the aerodynamics of your car. But with the right prompts, Cursor has you back on the track in seconds — clean, tuned, and ready to win laps.
Over the past year, I’ve used Cursor to build and ship everything from macOS utilities like Auto Up to martech tools like Sniper Links.
The key has been building a library of prompts that turn Cursor into a set of reliable specialists: debugger, reviewer, test engineer, UX designer, and more.
Here are the 10 Cursor prompts I use daily to build faster, ship quicker, and — most importantly — build better.
0. Initial Setup: Your Cursor Cockpit
Before you start firing off prompts, take 15 minutes to set up Cursor so it feels less like a blank IDE and more like a control tower.
Here’s the checklist we use at EZ MONEY when spinning up a new machine:
Editor Settings
- Tab Size: 2 spaces (cleaner diffs + universal standard across JS/TS).
- Format on Save: ✅ enabled — keeps everything consistent automatically.
- Auto-Save: after delay (no more “forgot to save” bugs).
- Prettier Integration: enabled, with
singleQuote: trueandtrailingComma: all. - Inline AI Hints: turned on, but muted colors so it’s helpful not distracting.
- CodeLens: enabled for quick references and inline git blame.
- Cursor Autocomplete: tuned to “Balanced” (not too aggressive, not too minimal).
- Test Explorer: pinned in sidebar — I want failures visible, not hidden.
Repo Setup
- .editorconfig → checked in so every collaborator (or future you) inherits the same formatting defaults.
- .prettierrc → same story, no debates later about semicolons or quotes.
- Cursor.json → scoped instructions for how Cursor should behave in this project (e.g. “assume stack = Next.js + Supabase”).
Git & Workflow
- Commit Templates: Cursor is configured with my “Git Surgeon” prompt (see below) so commit history stays clean.
- Branch Naming: chore/seo-foundation, feat/new-sync, fix/login-timeout — enforced via Cursor snippets.
- Vercel Preview Hook: GitHub Actions (
vercel-preview.yml) auto-deploy every branch so Cursor has a live preview to reference when I ask it system-level questions.
AI Settings
- Claude + GPT-4o linked → Cursor can decide which model to hit depending on task size.
- Context Limit Extended → bump to max so Cursor sees the full repo (critical for debugging across multiple modules).
- Prompt Library Synced → all 10 prompts in this post live as saved snippets in Cursor, so I never retype them.
1. Debugging Assistant (Smallest Repro)
Prompt:
“You are my debugging copilot inside Cursor. I’ll show you a failing function, error log, or stack trace. Your job:
– Ask for missing context step by step before suggesting fixes.
– Zoom out: explain what the system is doing, then zoom in to the failing part.
– Show me the minimal fix first, then optionally suggest the ‘right’ refactor.
– Always explain root cause clearly so I learn.”
Debugging is usually the most demoralizing part of building. You’re staring at a cryptic error message at 2AM, half-convinced the universe is conspiring against you.
This prompt flips the script. Cursor becomes a patient teacher: first asking clarifying questions, then explaining what’s happening system-wide, and finally suggesting the smallest reproducible fix.
When I was wiring up Supabase auth for a new product, Cursor walked me through each step of the login flow. Instead of a shotgun approach, I felt like Sherlock Holmes tracing a single thread until the culprit revealed itself.
The best part? It explains the root cause so you actually learn. You’re not just duct-taping code together — you’re leveling up every time.
2. Refactor for Clarity & Performance
Prompt:
“Refactor this code for clarity, speed, and maintainability. Keep function names self-documenting. Extract magic strings/numbers into constants. Remove duplication and dead code. Prefer async/await and modern JS/TS idioms. Add concise comments where intent isn’t obvious. Output: full refactored code block, then a 3–5 line summary of what changed + why.”
This is my “spring cleaning” button. Every repo eventually collects messy files: deeply nested logic, duplicated utilities, forgotten constants. Cursor rewrites them into clean, modern code — and then explains what it changed and why.
The difference feels like walking into a cluttered kitchen and suddenly finding every utensil neatly labeled in drawers. Same house, but now you can actually cook.
3. Feature Build (Scoped Module at a Time)
Prompt:
“I’m building a new feature. Context: [describe feature, inputs, outputs]. Stack: Next.js + Supabase + Tailwind/shadcn/ui. Your job: implement ONE module at a time (not the whole feature). Follow the inputs → transformation → outputs model. Add lightweight error handling and test cases. At the end, suggest the next logical module to implement.”
One of the fastest ways to kill velocity is scope creep. You ask Cursor for a feature, and suddenly it tries to build the whole thing at once.
This prompt keeps it modular. You give it context, and it delivers just one working unit: an API handler, a component, a query. It ends by suggesting the next piece.
When we built EZsync, this approach saved us from drowning in “what about iCloud support later?” Instead, Cursor shipped one clean module at a time — a sync worker, then error handling, then UI wiring. Progress without overwhelm.
4. Code Review & Best Practices
Prompt:
“Act as a senior engineer reviewing this PR. Spot security risks, edge cases, and performance issues. Suggest style/consistency fixes. Ensure it follows modern Next.js + Supabase conventions. Flag any premature complexity (YAGNI). End with ✅ if safe to merge, or ❌ with exact changes needed.”
I don’t always have another engineer around to review code. Cursor fills that role. It flags unsafe queries, unnecessary complexity, or naming inconsistencies, and then gives me a clear verdict: ✅ merge or ❌ fix first.
It’s like having a grumpy but brilliant senior dev on retainer — the one who makes you feel mildly judged, but always leaves your repo healthier.
5. System Debug Zoom-Out
Prompt:
“Something isn’t working as expected: [describe symptom]. Stack: Next.js + Supabase + Vercel + n8n. Act like a systems thinker: decompose the flow into small testable parts (UI → API → DB → response). Tell me ONE thing to test first, wait for my result, then continue step by step.”
This is for when the bug isn’t in a single function — it’s in the glue between systems. Cursor acts like a calm instructor, guiding you step by step, narrowing scope until the failure point emerges.
When debugging Supabase auth tokens flowing through n8n automations, this prompt turned chaos into clarity. Instead of thrashing, I followed a trail of breadcrumbs until the system clicked into place.
6. Test Generation & Coverage
Prompt:
“Generate concise, high-signal unit/integration tests for this code. Stack: Jest + Testing Library (React), Supabase mocks where needed. Rules: cover happy path + 2 edge cases. Use realistic sample data. Ensure tests are independent and repeatable. End with a short explanation of what these tests verify.”
Tests are like flossing: everyone agrees they’re important, but nobody’s excited to do them. Cursor makes them painless. It generates real, high-signal tests, not filler.
For me, this turned testing from a chore into a safety net. I ship faster knowing that if something breaks, I’ll catch it early.
7. API / DB Integration Helper
Prompt:
“I need to connect this feature to Supabase. Given this schema [paste] and desired query [describe], write production-ready code. Rules: enforce RLS (auth.uid()). Handle errors with descriptive messages. Show example input/output. Keep code modular for reuse.”
Cursor doesn’t just spit out queries. It writes production-grade code with row-level security, modular structure, and examples that prove it works.
When wiring up Supabase storage for SniperLink, this prompt gave me a working module with error messages that were actually helpful — no more guessing why something silently failed.
8. UX Polish & Accessibility
Prompt:
“Make this component production-ready for UX + accessibility. Rules: Tailwind + shadcn/ui, mobile-first, aria labels, subtle Framer Motion animation. End with a 3–4 line note on why this is better.”
Cursor is surprisingly good at polish. With this prompt, my MVPs stop looking like hackathon projects and start feeling like real apps: smooth animations, responsive design, proper accessibility baked in.
It’s the difference between a prototype you hesitate to show users and a product you’re proud to demo.
9. Docs / Comments Auto-Writer
Prompt:
“Write clean inline comments + a top-level docstring for this file. Summarize file purpose in 2–3 sentences. Add function-level comments where intent isn’t obvious. Avoid repeating what the code already says.”
This prompt solves the “what the hell does this file do?” problem. Cursor writes concise, useful comments so Future Me doesn’t hate Present Me.
In a factory model where I jump between products weekly, this is a sanity saver.
10. Bug Reproduction & Minimal Patch
Prompt:
“Here’s a bug: [describe behavior vs expected]. Steps to reproduce: [if known]. Suggest the smallest reproducible example. Patch it with minimal changes (no rewrites). Explain the root cause + why this fix works.”
Not every bug needs a full rewrite. Sometimes you just need the duct tape. This prompt ensures you get the smallest reproducible patch that fixes the issue without unnecessary churn.
It’s how you keep momentum instead of spiraling into yak-shaving.
The Pattern
Notice what’s happening here? Each prompt doesn’t just save time. It gives you access to a specialist you wouldn’t otherwise have:
- Debugging copilot
- Refactoring janitor
- Senior reviewer
- Systems thinker
- Test engineer
- UX designer
- Technical writer
Cursor isn’t replacing you. It’s multiplying you.
That’s why I call these prompts my pit crew. They’re the levers that let me run a one-person engineering org across a dozen products without losing quality.
Closing Thought
Most people treat Cursor like autocomplete with flair. That’s like buying a Ferrari and only using it for grocery runs.
The real leverage comes when you turn Cursor into your team: the pit crew, co-pilot, and QA department all in one. These 10 prompts are the scripts I’ve battle-tested across EZsync, SniperLink, and countless prototypes.
If you’re serious about speed that compounds — not chaos on wheels — start here.
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