Repository / project instructions
Documented.cursor/rules can supply version-controlled project instructions.
View source detailAgent intelligence
Cursor
Official Cursor evidence covers rules, memories, tools, model choice, permissions, Origin, Cloud Agent subscriptions, Custom Modes, and self-hosted Cloud Agent execution without establishing a published full system prompt.
Cursor is documented as an AI code editor and agent platform with project rules, user guidance, repository memories, tools, selectable models, permissions, Cloud Agent subscriptions, Custom Modes, an early-beta git forge called Origin, and self-hosted Cloud Agent execution. The September 2, 2026 changelog keeps tool execution on self-hosted infrastructure and documents worker pools plus Linux/Mac computer use with the required desktop packages. These product capabilities do not establish a complete current base system prompt.
Scope: Cursor editor · Cursor CLI · Cursor Cloud Agents · Cursor Origin · Selectable provider models · reviewed Sep 05, 2026
Reviewed product surfaces
Product Surface Schematic
Each layer links to the detailed evidence map. Its state applies only to the reviewed evidence.
Reviewed surfaces Cursor editor · Cursor CLI · Cursor Cloud Agents · Cursor Origin
- Base system promptNot established
- Project rulesDocumented
- User rulesDocumented
- Repository memoriesDocumented
- Agent toolsDocumented
- CLI permissionsDocumented
- Custom ModesDocumented
- Not established
- Documented
Source-backed answers
Key behaviors
Each answer is scoped to the selected evidence. “Not established” means the evidence does not support the claim; it does not assert absence.
Persistent user guidance
DocumentedUser-level rules provide preferences across projects.
View source detailMemory / persistent guidance
DocumentedApproved memories preserve repository-scoped learnings as rules.
View source detailFilesystem, shell, and agent tools
DocumentedSearch, read, edit, delete, terminal, and MCP tools are documented.
View source detailApprovals / permissions
DocumentedAllow and deny controls can constrain shell, read, and write operations.
View source detailPinned skill guidance
DocumentedA selected skill can remain in context across turns in the Agents Window and CLI.
View source detailBase prompt visibility
Not establishedThe selected official sources do not publish a complete current Cursor base system prompt.
Review evidence scopeEditorial guidance
What this means in practice
These conservative editorial implications come from the linked evidence. They add no vendor claims or generic prompt advice.
Editorial implication
Use version-controlled project rules for repository guidance.
.cursor/rules is the documented project scope, while user rules provide preferences across projects.
Supporting evidenceEditorial implication
Treat repository memories as approved persistent guidance.
Memories preserve repository-scoped learnings as generated rules rather than establishing the hidden base prompt.
Supporting evidenceEditorial implication
Account for explicit CLI operation boundaries.
Global and project allow/deny controls can constrain shell, read, and write operations even when the agent has corresponding tools.
Supporting evidenceEditorial implication
Use Custom Modes for guidance that should persist across turns.
Custom Modes keep the selected skill in context in the Agents Window and CLI until the mode is exited.
Supporting evidenceEditorial implication
Match Cloud Agent execution to the infrastructure boundary you need.
The self-hosted machines entry keeps tool execution on your infrastructure, documents named worker pools, and scopes Linux/Mac computer use to workers with the required desktop packages.
Supporting evidenceUseful next actions
Continue your research
Compare agent behaviorsReview the same evidence-backed questions across all six products.
How does Claude Code structure project instructions?Compare Cursor rules and memories with CLAUDE.md scopes and auto memory.
What first-party prompt evidence exists for Codex?Compare Cursor's documentation evidence with Codex's limited first-party excerpt.
Review source and provenance detailsVerify origin, retrieval, completeness, publication limits, and rights.
Product scope
Cursor is the coding product; its agent mode and selected provider model are separate context.
- Organization
- Cursor
- Product
- AI code editor, coding-agent platform, and early-beta git forge
- Surface
- Cursor editor · Cursor CLI · Cursor Cloud Agents · Cursor OriginThe code-editor surface for agentic codebase work.
- Model context
- Selectable provider modelsCursor documents model selection and Auto mode separately from the editor and agent harness.
Evidence status
Coverage and review
Official Cursor documentation and the September 2, 2026 changelog cover rules, memory, tools, models, permissions, Origin, Cloud Agent subscriptions, Custom Modes, and self-hosted execution. The review does not claim a complete current base system prompt.
- Coverage
- partial
- Primary source
- Tier A · vendor-published
- Review freshness
- currentOfficial Cursor documentation and the September 2, 2026 self-hosted machines changelog were reviewed for the editor agent, rules, tools, memories, model selection, CLI permissions, Origin, Cloud Agent subscriptions, Custom Modes, and self-hosted Cloud Agent execution. Targeted planning and web evidence was consulted on September 14, 2026; see the separately dated sources. Other evidence was not re-reviewed.
- Reviewed
- Sep 05, 2026
Detailed instruction layers
Instruction-system map
The map separates the unestablished base prompt from product surfaces, project and user rules, memories, tools, models, permissions, subscriptions, and Custom Modes.
Base system promptnot established
The selected official sources do not publish a complete current Cursor base system prompt.
Source detailProject rulesdocumented
.cursor/rules can supply version-controlled project instructions.
Source detailRepository memoriesdocumented
Approved memories preserve repository-scoped learnings as rules.
Source detailAgent toolsdocumented
Search, read, edit, delete, terminal, and MCP tools are documented.
Source detailCLI permissionsdocumented
Allow and deny controls can constrain shell, read, and write operations.
Source detailCustom Modesdocumented
A selected skill can remain in context across turns in the Agents Window and CLI.
Source detailSupporting instruction evidence
Documentation and source coverage
Official sources document the product but do not support a standalone public system-prompt page.
- Selected snapshot
- Cursor instruction architecture · reviewed August 25, 2026
- Evidence coverage
- Through Aug 25, 2026Cursor instruction architecture · reviewed August 25, 2026
- Latest known vendor version
- Not established by selected evidence
- Current product state
- Not established by selected evidence
- Publication
- Full prompt unavailable
- Instruction page
- Not availableNo verified current full first-party Cursor prompt artifact was established in the selected official sources.
Evidence-backed capabilities
Capabilities with evidence
Each capability links to its supporting prompt section or first-party source and keeps its stated confidence level.
| Capability | What the source establishes | Confidence | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan Mode | The editor agent researches the codebase, asks clarifying questions, and creates a reviewable plan before building. Plans can be edited and saved to the workspace. This describes a workflow, not a universal permission or isolation guarantee. | high | Primary source |
| Web search | The editor Agent Web tool generates queries and performs web searches. This does not establish unrestricted network access, page retrieval fidelity, or identical CLI and Cloud Agent behavior. | high | Primary source |
| Agentic codebase work | Cursor's agent is documented as searching, understanding, and changing codebases. | high | Primary source |
| Project and user rules | Project rules and user rules supply persistent model context at different scopes. | high | Primary source |
| Repository memories | Approved memories preserve repository-scoped learnings as generated rules. | high | Primary source |
| Agent tools | Search, read, edit, delete, terminal, and MCP tools are documented. | high | Primary source |
| CLI permission controls | Global and project configuration can allow or deny shell, read, and write operations. | high | Primary source |
| Selectable models | Cursor supports models from multiple providers and an automatic selection mode. | high | Primary source |
| Origin git forge | Origin is documented as an early-beta git forge with repositories, pull requests, search, and agent-connected workflows. | high | Primary source |
| Cloud Agent subscriptions | A Cloud Agent can resume the same conversation when configured GitHub, Slack, Linear, or timer events occur. | high | Primary source |
| Custom Modes | A selected skill can stay in context across turns in the Agents Window and CLI. | high | Primary source |
| Self-hosted Cloud Agent execution | Cursor's September 2, 2026 changelog documents Cloud Agent tool execution on self-hosted machines, with codebase, build outputs, and secrets kept on internal infrastructure, plus My Machines, team pools, and Linux/Mac computer use with the required desktop packages. | high | Primary source |
Version evidence
Snapshots and meaningful changes
The selected evidence establishes no compatible first-party full-prompt snapshots. Documentation updates are not treated as prompt versions.
- selected Cursor instruction architecture · reviewed August 25, 2026Reviewed Aug 25, 2026Documentation coverage
Provenance
Source ledger
Every source lists its origin, retrieval date, completeness, publication limits, and rights separately.
Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor Plan Mode
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Sep 14, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation consulted 2026-09-14
- Rights posture
- Original summary; no prompt text republished.
The editor agent researches the codebase, asks clarifying questions, and creates a reviewable plan before building. Plans can be edited and saved to the workspace. This describes a workflow, not a universal permission or isolation guarantee.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor Agent overview — Web tool
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Sep 14, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation consulted 2026-09-14
- Rights posture
- Original summary; no prompt text republished.
The editor Agent Web tool generates queries and performs web searches. This does not establish unrestricted network access, page retrieval fidelity, or identical CLI and Cloud Agent behavior.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor documentation overview
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 11, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation reviewed 2026-08-11
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official documentation; no prompt text copied.
Establishes the coding-product and agent context, not a complete runtime prompt.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor rules documentation
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 11, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation reviewed 2026-08-11
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official documentation.
Documents rule inputs rather than the complete instruction assembly.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor agent tools
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 11, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation reviewed 2026-08-11
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official documentation.
Tool availability and automatic execution can vary with configuration.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor models documentation
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 11, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation reviewed 2026-08-11
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official documentation.
Model availability can change and does not define one universal Cursor runtime.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor memories documentation
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 11, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation reviewed 2026-08-11
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official documentation.
Documents saved memory behavior, not every context input.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor CLI permissions
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 11, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation reviewed 2026-08-11
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official documentation.
Documents CLI permission configuration; editor and deployment controls can differ.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor Origin documentation
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 25, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation reviewed 2026-08-25
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official documentation.
Documents an early-beta git forge and staged availability; it does not establish the full Cursor instruction stack.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor Cloud Agent capabilities
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 25, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation reviewed 2026-08-25
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official documentation.
Documents subscription triggers and limits for Cloud Agents; supported integrations and limits can change.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor agent prompting documentation
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 25, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Live official documentation reviewed 2026-08-25
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official documentation.
Documents Custom Modes as persistent skill context in supported agent surfaces, not a complete base prompt.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor cloud harness changelog
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Aug 25, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Cursor changelog published 2026-08-19
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official changelog.
Records the August 2026 release state, including the current Cloud Agent-only subscription limitation.
Open primary source Tier A · vendor-published
Cursor changelog — Self-hosted machines
- Publisher
- Cursor
- Retrieved
- Sep 05, 2026
- Upstream ref
- Cursor changelog published 2026-09-02
- Rights posture
- Original summary of official changelog; no prompt text copied.
Documents self-hosted Cloud Agent execution, dynamic worker pools, sandbox infrastructure, and Linux/Mac computer use as described in the entry; it does not establish all deployment requirements, availability, or Cursor's full instruction stack.
Open primary source