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Explore how Cursor’s integrated terminal—powered by Visual Studio Code—lets you run plain-language instructions to automate your development workflow.

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Prerequisites

  • Visual Studio Code with Cursor AI extension installed
  • Python 3.x and venv support
  • Z Shell (Zsh) configured as your default shell

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1. Open the Integrated Terminal

Open the terminal via Terminal > New Terminal (or press Ctrl+ on Windows/Linux, ⌘+ on macOS). You’ll start in a Z Shell session: 
jeremy@MACSTUDIO kodekloud1 % ps
  PID   TTY          TIME CMD
 70600 ttys000    0:00.00 -zsh
 80016 ttys002    0:00.01 /bin/zsh -i
 80061 ttys006    0:00.02 /bin/zsh -i
jeremy@MACSTUDIO kodekloud1 % ls -la
total 0
drwxr-xr-x   2 jeremy  staff   64 Mar 24 21:26 .
drwxr-xr-x  28 jeremy  staff  896 Mar 24 21:26 ..
ActionShortcut / CommandDescription
Open TerminalCtrl+ / ⌘+Launches the integrated terminal
Command PaletteCtrl+Shift+P / ⌘+Shift+POpens the Command Palette for NL commands

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2. Generate a Flask API Project

Invoke the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / ⌘+Shift+P) and type your natural-language instruction:
“Create a Flask API project with SQLAlchemy.”
After hitting Enter, Cursor AI runs: 
jeremy@MACSTUDIO kodekloud1 % mkdir -p app/models app/routes \
  && touch app/__init__.py app/models/__init__.py app/routes/__init__.py \
  && echo -e "flask\nflask-sqlalchemy\nflask-migrate" > requirements.txt

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3. Set Up a Python Virtual Environment

Next, ask:
“Create a Python virtual environment and activate it.” 
jeremy@MACSTUDIO kodekloud1 % python3 -m venv venv && source venv/bin/activate
(venv) jeremy@MACSTUDIO kodekloud1 %
Using virtual environments isolates dependencies per project. Always activate your venv before installing packages.

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4. Install Testing and Database Drivers

Ask Cursor AI:
“Install PyTest and the PostgreSQL driver.” 
(venv) jeremy@MACSTUDIO kodekloud1 % pip install pytest psycopg2-binary
Collecting pytest
  Downloading pytest-8.3.5-py3-none-any.whl
Collecting psycopg2-binary
  Downloading psycopg2_binary-2.9.10-cp313-cp313-macosx_*.whl
Successfully installed pytest-8.3.5 psycopg2-binary-2.9.10
Then update your requirements.txt: 
(venv) jeremy@MACSTUDIO kodekloud1 % pip freeze > requirements.txt

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5. Handling Import Errors

If you encounter: 
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'flask_sqlalchemy'
simply instruct Cursor AI: 
(venv) jeremy@MACSTUDIO kodekloud1 % pip install flask-sqlalchemy

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6. Best Practices for Natural Language Commands

Best PracticeDescription
Be Specific Yet ConciseFocus on required packages, directories, or flags without fluff.
Include Essential DetailsSpecify file names, frameworks, or versions in your instruction.
Iterate: Run, Observe, RefineAdjust your prompt based on Cursor’s output for accuracy.
Combine Related TasksGroup folder creation, file initialization, and dependency installs.
Learn from AI SuggestionsStudy generated commands to level up your CLI proficiency.
Overly vague instructions may lead to unexpected operations. Always review generated commands before executing.
By leveraging Cursor AI’s natural language commands, you reduce context switching and automate routine setup tasks. Extend this workflow to SSH sessions, container orchestrations, and more advanced development scenarios.

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