Running Cursor CLI: Install, Modes, and CI Automation

Cursor CLI is the terminal-based counterpart to Cursor’s editor-first coding environment, sharing the same account, models, and AI agent while operating entirely through text for local terminals, SSH sessions, containers, scripts, and CI systems. It supports Agent mode for file edits, Plan mode for non-editing proposals, and Ask mode for read-only questions, with headless execution through the `-p` flag and text, JSON, or streamed JSON output formats. Installation is available through platform-specific shell commands, while interactive use relies on Cursor login and automated environments use the `CURSOR_API_KEY` environment variable. The CLI can select models per run, auto-approve edits, use isolated Git worktrees, and hand requests to Cloud Agents, and a GitHub Actions example demonstrates how it can be installed and invoked in CI. Its terminal-only design means it can verify source changes, command output, and test exit codes but cannot independently confirm rendered UI behavior, so the text recommends adding browser-based verification tools such as TestMu AI’s Kane CLI after UI-related changes. Compared with terminal-first tools such as Claude Code, Cursor CLI provides a convenient extension for existing Cursor users but has less documented support for lifecycle hooks and structured subagents.

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