Cursor Shortcuts for Ubuntu

Essential keyboard shortcuts for efficiently navigating and using Cursor IDE on Ubuntu and Linux systems.

AI Features Shortcuts

Composer (Inline AI Editing):

• Ctrl+K - Open Composer for inline code generation and editing
• Ctrl+K then type your request - Generate or modify code at cursor position
• Tab / Ctrl+→ - Accept AI suggestions
• Esc - Cancel or close Composer

Chat Sidebar:

• Ctrl+L - Toggle Chat sidebar (left panel with AI assistant)
  • Mnemonic: L for "Left" panel or "Language" chat
  • Opens the main AI chat interface on the left side
• Ctrl+W - Close the chat window when focused
• Type your question in the chat to ask about your codebase

Inline Chat:

• Ctrl+I - Open inline chat at cursor position
  • Mnemonic: I for "Inline" editing
  • Opens a chat input directly in the editor, context-aware for the code at your cursor
  • Different from Chat sidebar: this appears inline in your code editor

Navigation and Editing

Command Palette:

• Ctrl+Shift+P - Open Command Palette (access all Cursor commands)

File Navigation:

• Ctrl+P - Quick file search/open
• Ctrl+Shift+F - Search across files
• Ctrl+B - Toggle sidebar (file explorer)

Code Navigation:

• Ctrl+Click - Go to definition
• F12 - Go to definition
• Shift+F12 - Find all references
• Ctrl+T - Go to symbol in workspace

AI Code Completion

Cursor provides intelligent autocomplete that predicts your next code changes:

• Type naturally and let Cursor suggest completions
• Navigate through suggestions with arrow keys
• Accept with Tab or continue typing to refine

Verifying and Customizing Shortcuts

If Ctrl+I and Ctrl+L seem to do the same thing, verify which commands they're bound to:

Step 1: Check Current Bindings

1. Open Command Palette: Ctrl+Shift+P
2. Type "Keyboard Shortcuts" and select "Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts"
3. Search for Ctrl+L and Ctrl+I to see what commands they're currently bound to
4. Look for these commands:
   • cursor.chat.toggle - Should be bound to Ctrl+L (Chat sidebar)
   • cursor.chat.inline or cursor.chat.focus - Should be bound to Ctrl+I (Inline chat)
   • cursor.composer - Should be bound to Ctrl+K (Composer)

Step 2: Fix Conflicts

If both shortcuts are bound to the same command:

1. In Keyboard Shortcuts, search for the command name (e.g., cursor.chat.toggle)
2. Right-click on the conflicting binding and select "Remove Keybinding"
3. Search for the correct command (e.g., cursor.chat.inline for Ctrl+I)
4. Click on the command and press the desired key combination
5. If there's a conflict, Cursor will warn you and you can choose to reassign

Step 3: Remember the Difference

Memory aids:

• Ctrl+L = Left panel Chat (the main chat sidebar)
• Ctrl+I = Inline chat (appears in your editor at cursor position)
• Ctrl+K = Komposer (inline code editing)

The key difference:

• Ctrl+L opens the full chat panel on the left side
• Ctrl+I opens a chat input inline in your code editor, context-aware for the code near your cursor

Tips

• Cursor is based on VS Code, so most VS Code shortcuts work here too
• If shortcuts conflict with other keybindings or language-specific settings, check the keyboard shortcuts settings in Cursor preferences
• You can import your VS Code settings and extensions for a familiar experience
• The AI features (Composer and Chat) understand your entire codebase context automatically