Ippon Blog

Developer Productivity: Cursor

Written by Lucas Ward | Jul 2, 2025 6:30:00 AM

Augmenting Developer Productivity with Cursor

I am a software developer turned DevOps engineer. This career path has seen me gain knowledge a mile wide and an inch deep (although I go deep in certain areas!). Leveraging A.I. productivity tools like GitHub Copilot and Cursor is a great way to extend my capabilities “deeper” into the various layers of an application. This blog will describe my experience using a tool called “Cursor” to augment my developer abilities, especially in the critical areas of authentication and authorization. You know, the super important piece that frequently gets implemented wrong and results in compromise. 

For context, let me describe my use case. I am developing an application designed to administer an Azure B2C tenant. After getting permission to use AI productivity tools from the client, I quickly got started on the proof of concept. This application, constructed using Flask and vanilla JavaScript, required the implementation of the OAuth2 protocol via Python's MSAL library and also the use of JWT tokens. On the backend, client credentials facilitate secure access to the Microsoft Graph API. I have always struggled with the authentication portion of building n-tier applications, and let me just say, for me, Cursor was a game changer in this aspect.

Revolutionizing Comprehension and Implementation

You see, Cursor has this really cool feature called “Chat with your codebase.” If you have ever copied and pasted code from your editor into a tool like ChatGPT, you know how capable it is and how disruptive and annoying the process of moving back and forth can be. For this project, deciphering the callback mechanism within the authentication protocol was a critical challenge, and this feature provided me with much-needed clarity and guidance. By enabling direct queries about the codebase, Cursor helped me understand why the code is written the way it is and how to debug it when it wasn’t working. This capability extended beyond aiding me in understanding; it provided adherence to best practices and fortified the security of the implementation.

The OAuth2 protocol and the central identity and access management platforms that typically implement it will have you register a “redirect URI.” This is a way to tell the CIAM platform where to send things like authorization codes after the authentication workflow is completed. To further complicate implementation, if you are building anything other than a single-page application, you have to handle the redirect and callback logic on the frontend. Cursor was a huge help in ensuring that the proper context and variables were passed between Azure B2C, the Flask backend, and the JavaScript frontend. Let’s just say that my first attempt at implementing this without Cursor had me cursing up a storm. 

Effortless Integration and Exceptional Usability

The seamless integration of Cursor into my development workflow underscores its user-centric design. When you first boot it up, it offers to import your VSCode extensions and themes. By the way, Cursor is a fork of VSCode, so no worries about having to quit your favorite editor. In addition, Cursor allows you to select the AI models employed for various functionalities directly within the user interface. This exemplifies the platform's adaptability to diverse developer preferences. Honestly, though, I just used the default models because my use case was very generic, but you can imagine in the future having access to more specialized models for different types of development or even your own models that have been trained on your private enterprise code bases (whoa!).

The "guided tutorial" offered upon initial setup also deserves a shoutout. Its unobtrusive yet methodical approach effectively acquainted me with Cursor's capabilities. It walks you through a basic setup (very basic, as mentioned above, just import) and shows you how to use all groovy AI features. This onboarding process obfuscated all the less important details, maintaining a streamlined and engaging user experience.

Balancing Productivity and Security

I was delighted to find that Cursor prioritizes the privacy and security of user data and codebases. Check out their privacy policy if you need more convincing. This focus on safeguarding sensitive information reflects a profound understanding of the risks associated with modern software development. It is particularly salient when working with intricate protocols such as OAuth2 and JWT tokens, where even minor oversights can lead to vulnerabilities. Cursor’s adherence to stringent data protection standards provided significant reassurance during the development process, offering a robust framework that aligns with industry best practices. Moreover, the tool’s emphasis on privacy fosters trust, enabling developers to concentrate on solving complex problems without concerns about data misuse or exposure. This dual commitment to functionality and security underscores Cursor’s role as an essential asset in navigating today’s demanding coding environments.

Additionally, Cursor’s tab autocomplete feature, reminiscent of tools like Copilot, significantly elevated the coding experience. This functionality allows developers to iterate on code suggestions by pressing the tab key multiple times, seamlessly incorporating additional contextually relevant completions into the codebase. I found this particularly advantageous, as it enhanced coding efficiency while maintaining focus, ensuring that suggestions complemented my workflow effectively.

A Generous and Accessible Offering

Cursor’s free trial is very generous, offering comprehensive access to its capabilities for two weeks. Once the trial ends, the free tier retains a robust feature set, reflecting the developers' dedication to fostering inclusivity within the software development community. This accessibility ensures that developers across varying levels of expertise and resource availability can derive value from the tool. I appreciate the free tier, but one of the things that changes is that it goes from using Claude or ChatGPT to using Cursor’s small model. The “Cursor-Small” model is capable but doesn’t really stack up against the “big players.” Regardless of model choice, when the IDE is set to privacy mode, no prompts or context windows are saved by the models. 

Redefining Developer Tools

Remember, at the beginning of this blog, when I mentioned switching back and forth between my IDE and ChatGPT? In my opinion, Cursor’s most powerful feature is the integration into the IDE. Not having to leave the context of your IDE and seamlessly being able to add additional files to the chat context was a game-changer for me. This integration conserves valuable time and reduces cognitive load, enabling sustained focus on coding tasks.

Reflecting on my experience, Cursor not only augmented my productivity but also imbued the development process with a sense of ease and enjoyment. It really was just a lot of fun to use! Its meticulous design, robust features, and unwavering commitment to security position it as a transformative tool in my development arsenal. I eagerly anticipate its continued evolution and its potential to further augment my “mile wide and inch deep” skillset.

For developers at any stage of their careers, Cursor offers more than a utility; it provides an invaluable ally in navigating the complexities of modern software development. If you are having a struggle navigating these complexities or driving adoption of AI developer productivity tools, feel free to drop us a line at sales@ipponusa.com.