Karmas Coder connects to Cursor’s terminal agent runtime rather than embedding the Cursor editor. Cursor owns the account, model access, and agent service; Karmas Coder provides the surrounding task, working directory, transcript, approvals, Git review, and delivery workflow.

Install

Install Cursor Agent with Cursor’s official installer:

curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash

Karmas Coder looks for the cursor-agent executable. Verify it after installation:

cursor-agent --version

The installer commonly places the executable under ~/.local/bin. Add that directory to PATH when a fresh terminal cannot find the command.

Authenticate

Browser-based authentication is the recommended interactive flow:

cursor-agent login

Check the current state with:

cursor-agent status

For automation, Cursor Agent can also use CURSOR_API_KEY. Keep API keys in environment variables or secure secret storage, not in project files, documentation, or Karmas Coder prompts.

Verify

From a fresh terminal:

cursor-agent --version
cursor-agent status

Then start Cursor Agent in a disposable repository:

cd /path/to/test-repository
cursor-agent

Ask a harmless read-only question. This verifies the executable, account, model service, and repository access before Karmas Coder is involved.

Connect to Karmas Coder

Enable Cursor

Open provider settings and confirm that Karmas Coder detects Cursor Agent.

Confirm the executable

Karmas Coder prefers cursor-agent. It can also resolve supported Cursor launcher paths and a configured custom executable. Avoid a generic agent command unless it is known to belong to Cursor.

Refresh provider status

Confirm the account is authenticated and that the expected models are available.

Start a bounded task

Use a clean test repository and review the selected model, permissions, and environment before sending the first objective.

Capabilities in Karmas Coder

Cursor sessions can expose:

Cursor’s available model catalog
Tool calls, terminal commands, and file changes
Approval and permission events supported by the runtime
Session output through Karmas Coder's shared conversation view
Custom binary selection
Cursor account and usage health where available
Task-level Git, terminal, browser, diff, and pull-request workflows

Karmas Coder does not currently classify Cursor Agent as supporting native live-turn steering. Use the controls shown in the active task rather than assuming a follow-up can always be injected into an already-running Cursor turn.

Cursor’s own rules, MCP configuration, permissions, and account settings remain provider-owned and can change session behavior.

Updating

Cursor Agent attempts to update automatically. You can also update it explicitly:

cursor-agent update

Restart Karmas Coder after updating or replacing the executable.

Troubleshooting

Cursor is not detected

Run cursor-agent --version from a fresh terminal.
Confirm ~/.local/bin or the installer directory is on PATH.
Check that Karmas Coder is not pointing at an old custom path.
Restart Karmas Coder after installation or shell-profile changes.

Cursor is detected but not authenticated

Run cursor-agent status, then cursor-agent login. For API-key authentication, verify that CURSOR_API_KEY is available to the process that launches Karmas Coder.

The wrong executable is used

Cursor installations may expose cursor-agent, the cursor editor launcher, or older launcher layouts. Point Karmas Coder at the intended Cursor-owned executable and avoid unrelated commands named agent.

Models differ from the Cursor editor

Compare the account, executable version, model selection, and CLI configuration. Cursor’s terminal agent and editor can expose different state or release timing.

Follow subagent work

Cursor ACP Task tool calls appear as active subagent runs in the transcript, with their running and completed states. A subagent card reports delegated activity; review the parent task's result and actual checks before treating the overall objective as complete.

Official documentation

Continue with Your first task or Provider handoffs.