Short answer
Claude Code is closer to a terminal coding agent. It works well in existing repositories where it can read code, run commands, edit files, and followCLAUDE.md, permissions, hooks, and MCP.
Cursor is closer to an AI IDE. It works well when you want completion, chat, Composer, rules, indexing, and code edits inside the editor.
Neither fully replaces the other. The choice depends on whether you prefer a terminal agent workflow or an editor-native AI workflow.
Key differences
| Dimension | Claude Code | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Main entry point | Terminal / command line | AI IDE |
| Project context | CLAUDE.md, conversation context, tool reads | Cursor Rules, indexing, editor context |
| Permission control | Permissions, hooks, confirmation flow | Tool approval, editor permissions, rules |
| MCP | Supports MCP tools | Supports MCP tools |
| Model setup | Claude / Anthropic-compatible first | OpenAI-compatible, custom provider, built-in models |
| Best fit | Multi-step tasks, command execution, repo-wide changes | Editor interaction, navigation, focused edits, completion |
How to choose
Use Claude Code if you like asking an agent to inspect the repo, plan, run tests, and make a batch of changes. Use Cursor if you spend most of your time in the editor and want AI to understand the current file, selection, index, and project rules. If you use both, they can share a model API layer, but each tool still needs its own rules and permission boundaries.Common mistakes
- Assuming Cursor Rules are read by Claude Code automatically.
- Assuming
CLAUDE.mdreplaces Cursor project rules. - Comparing only model names instead of workflow and permissions.
- Treating MCP as a model API rather than a tool/context extension layer.
- Ignoring the difference between editor indexing and terminal command execution.
About LLMEasy
If you want Claude Code and Cursor to share model routing and usage visibility, configure each tool with the protocol it expects. Claude Code usually useshttps://www.llmeasy.ru. Cursor and similar external tools usually use https://www.llmeasy.ru/v1, with model IDs copied from the GPT Key group.
Related docs
- What is Claude Code?
- How to configure a custom OpenAI API in Cursor
- MCP vs API Key and Base URL
- OpenAI-compatible API vs Anthropic-compatible API