Migrating from Cursor | Bootspring Docs

Guide to transitioning from Cursor to Bootspring.

Overview#

Cursor is an AI-powered code editor. Bootspring complements it by providing structured context, expert agents, and development workflows. Many users run both together.

Key Differences#

Feature	Cursor	Bootspring
Approach	AI-enhanced editor	AI development platform
Context	Automatic codebase	Structured CLAUDE.md
Agents	Single AI assistant	35+ expert agents
Patterns	None	55+ skill patterns
Workflows	None	Multi-phase orchestration
IDE	Built-in editor	Any editor + Claude

Using Both Together#

Bootspring and Cursor work well together:

Use Cursor for real-time coding assistance
Use Bootspring for structured context, patterns, and workflows
Share context via CLAUDE.md file

# Generate context that Cursor can read
bootspring generate

# Cursor will pick up the CLAUDE.md for context

Migration Steps#

Step 1: Install Bootspring#

npm install -g bootspring

Step 2: Initialize Project#

cd your-project
bootspring init

This creates:

bootspring.config.js - Configuration
CLAUDE.md - Project context
.bootspring/ - Bootspring data

Step 3: Import Cursor Rules#

If you have Cursor rules, convert them to Bootspring config:

Cursor .cursorrules:

Always use TypeScript
Prefer functional components
Use Tailwind CSS

Bootspring bootspring.config.js:

module.exports = {
  agents: {
    customInstructions: {
      'frontend-expert': `
        Always use TypeScript
        Prefer functional components
        Use Tailwind CSS
      `,
    },
  },
};

Step 4: Connect Claude Desktop#

bootspring mcp install

This sets up Bootspring as an MCP server for Claude Desktop.

Feature Mapping#

Chat with Codebase#

Cursor: Built-in chat panel Bootspring: Claude Desktop with bootspring_context tool

# In Claude Desktop
"Use the project context to understand the codebase"

Code Generation#

Cursor: Tab completion, Command K Bootspring: Expert agents with patterns

# Generate using agent
bootspring agent invoke frontend-expert "Create a data table component"

# Or use a skill pattern
bootspring skill apply patterns/data-table

Inline Editing#

Cursor: Inline AI suggestions Bootspring: Agent-generated code to paste

Bootspring doesn't provide inline editor integration (works with any editor).

Project Understanding#

Cursor: Automatic context Bootspring: Structured CLAUDE.md

Bootspring's context is:

Explicit and reviewable
Git-tracked
Shareable with team
Customizable

Workflow Comparison#

Cursor Workflow#

Open file
Use Cmd+K for inline AI
Accept suggestions
Manually run tests

Bootspring Workflow#

Start workflow: bootspring workflow start feature-development
Get guided through phases
Expert agents assist each phase
Quality gates verify completion

Common Migration Questions#

Can I keep using Cursor?#

Yes. Bootspring doesn't replace Cursor. Use Cursor for quick edits and Bootspring for structured development.

Will my Cursor history work?#

Cursor and Bootspring have separate histories. Bootspring's history is stored in .bootspring/.

Do I need Claude Desktop?#

Claude Desktop provides the best MCP integration. You can also use the CLI directly.

Can I use GPT-4 instead of Claude?#

Bootspring is optimized for Claude but supports OpenAI:

// bootspring.config.js
module.exports = {
  llm: {
    provider: 'openai',
    model: 'gpt-4-turbo',
  },
};

Tips for Cursor Users#

1. Keep Using Both#

Don't abandon Cursor. Use it for quick edits, Bootspring for complex tasks.

2. Generate Context Regularly#

# Regenerate after significant changes
bootspring generate

This keeps CLAUDE.md current for Cursor to read.

3. Use Expert Agents for Complex Tasks#

For tasks needing expertise:

Security: bootspring agent invoke security-expert
Performance: bootspring agent invoke performance-expert
Database: bootspring agent invoke database-expert

4. Apply Patterns Instead of Prompting#

Instead of writing prompts for common patterns:

# Instead of: "Create auth with Clerk"
bootspring skill apply patterns/auth-clerk

# Instead of: "Add Stripe payments"
bootspring skill apply patterns/stripe-checkout

5. Use Workflows for Features#

For full features, use workflows:

bootspring workflow start feature-development

This coordinates multiple agents through design, implementation, and testing.

Configuration Mapping#

Tab Completion#

Cursor's tab completion maps to skill application:

# Apply a pattern to current file
bootspring skill apply patterns/react-component --target=src/components/

Copilot++ Mode#

Cursor's Copilot++ enhanced suggestions map to agent invocations:

bootspring agent invoke frontend-expert "Optimize this component"

Custom Rules#

Cursor's .cursorrules maps to bootspring.config.js:

module.exports = {
  context: {
    customInstructions: `
      Project-specific rules here
    `,
  },
};