In December 2024, I wrote an article sharing my expertise utilizing VSCode (GitHub Copilot) and Cursor (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) from the attitude of a Knowledge Scientist.
I concluded the article by stating:
After utilizing Cursor for the previous two weeks, I’ve determined to make use of it for all of my future tasks.
Since writing this text, not solely have there been important developments to VSCode and Cursor, however a brand new wave of AI-powered IDEs (e.g. Windsurf) have emerged. Upon evaluating and testing these various IDEs, I’ve determined to revert to VSCode as my main IDE of alternative.
On this article, I’ll focus on why I’m not utilizing Cursor, why I’ve reverted to VSCode and GitHub Copilot, and my opinion on what IDE try to be utilizing as a Knowledge Scientist.
What I Favored Most About Cursor
Let me state this primary: Cursor is a superb product. I saved listening to builders focus on Cursor an increasing number of, with many benefiting from their 2-week free trial. I used to be hesitant at first, however after studying persistent reward for the software program, I made a decision to type my very own opinion firsthand.
I liked that Cursor’s interface was the identical as VSCode. Upon set up, Cursor enabled you to obtain all of your current VSCode extensions, which positively helped with adoption because it made you’re feeling proper at residence.
In December 2024, two key Cursor options made it stand out from the gang. The primary was the power to make use of plenty of completely different LLMs, in contrast to GitHub Copilot, which had restrictions on what LLMs had been obtainable. Secondly, Cursor had a function known as “Composer” that allowed customers to generate a complete undertaking code base by merely describing it by way of a immediate.
As described in my article “Should you switch from VSCode to Cursor?”, these had been the 2 options I used to be most enthusiastic about and primarily based my preliminary evaluate on.
Why I Switched Again to VSCode
VSCode has been my main IDE for over 7 years, I used to be additionally a beta tester for GitHub Copilot, one thing I’ve been paying for since its launch.
As beforehand defined, a key good thing about Cursor is its similarity to VSCode from an interface perspective. Though a minor cause, switching again to VSCode meant I didn’t must refamiliarise myself with an alternate UI.
GitHub Copilot eradicated one of many two major causes for my preliminary transfer to Cursor when it enabled the power to implement SOTA newly-released LLMs. As of writing in April 2025, beneath is the present checklist of LLMs obtainable by way of GitHub Copilot:
Claude 3.7 Sonnet was launched on February twenty fourth, 2025. On the identical day, Microsoft announced that this mannequin was now obtainable by way of GitHub Copilot. GPT-4.5 was launched on February twenty seventh, 2025, and was additionally made available on the same day in GitHub Copilot Chat to Copilot Enterprise customers.
An enormous enchancment on their LLM providing when in comparison with again in December 2024.
As a Knowledge Scientist, I typically work in Jupyter Notebooks for exploration duties. Though AI-assistance works higher when Programming utilizing .py information, I discover VSCode is best than Cursor when working with Jupyter Notebooks.
Vscode gives GitHub Copilot directions when including a brand new cell to your pocket book, this isn’t obtainable utilizing Cursor. Though AI-assistance is on the market, it’s harder because the consumer has to make use of Ctrl/⌘ + Okay to start writing their immediate.
When working with Jupyter Notebooks utilizing VSCode and GitHub Copilot, you even have the power to talk together with your AI-assistant, referencing the cells in your pocket book you need the AI to give attention to. This performance makes it extremely straightforward to implement AI-assistance in your coding workflow.
The ultimate two components, which had been much less essential however positively performed a job in my total choice, had been value and utilization in my skilled function.
GitHub Copilot prices $10 per thirty days in comparison with Cursor, which prices $20 per thirty days. I requested myself, am I getting twice the worth from utilizing Cursor over VSCode? The reply to this query was no, due to this fact, this added extra weight in the direction of reverting to VSCode.
Lastly, in my skilled function as a Lead Knowledge Scientist, I exploit VSCode every day. I might by no means choose an IDE primarily based solely on the one I exploit in my skilled function, though it positively helps to maintain issues aligned the place doable.
For the aim of this text, I’m highlighting high-level factors from my expertise with VSCode and GitHub Copilot. Be at liberty to message me by way of social media when you have extra particular questions you wish to ask.
How GitHub Copilot Closed the Hole
GitHub was purchased for $7.5 billion by Microsoft in 2018. As Microsoft is a far bigger firm than Anysphere Inc., they’re in a position to place much more assets on enhancing their product providing.
As an finish consumer, competitors is inspired because it pushes firms to innovate and develop at a tempo that permits them to maintain up with one another. This additionally implies that when a brand new function is launched and is extensively adopted by the neighborhood, the entire competitor firms rush to develop that very same function into their very own product providing.
When Cursor was first gaining reputation, it had many options (e.g., Composer, Tab, and Cursor Prediction) that its opponents didn’t have. That is not the case.
As proven in GitHub Copilot’s changelog, releases are occurring weekly, with some days consisting of a couple of new function being made obtainable to all GitHub Copilot customers.
As of at present, there aren’t many options that Cursor gives that aren’t additionally obtainable utilizing VSCode and GitHub Copilot. Microsoft has proven previously 4 months that it’s inserting big significance on making GitHub Copilot the perfect AI coding assistant available on the market. Whereas some enhancements are nonetheless wanted, they’re transferring at a fast tempo, closing the hole, and are ready to guide the market by the top of 2025.
Ultimate Ideas
Firstly, I don’t imagine any textual content editor/IDE is best than some other. You need to all the time make this judgment your self primarily based on trial-and-error and never finalise your choice primarily based on what’s most spoken about on-line.
I’ve been utilizing VSCode for a number of weeks now since reverting from Cursor, and I’ve not regretted my choice. I imagine Microsoft is making nice progress with GitHub Copilot and has actually closed the hole to all the brand new AI-assistant IDEs.
There’ll all the time be options that pop up right here and there that aren’t obtainable within the IDE you’re at present utilizing. In the event that they’re extensively adopted by the neighborhood, all opponents will implement them with time. Don’t use this as a chance to maintain switching your IDE.
Disclaimer: All opinions shared on this article are my very own primarily based on my private expertise; I’ve no affiliation with Cursor, VSCode, or GitHub Copilot. Until acknowledged in any other case, the creator owns all photographs included on this article.
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