Vibe Coding for Developers: Building with Agents in Cursor

This intermediate-level workshop explores how AI-powered coding tools are reshaping software development through agentic workflows. Using Cursor, developers learn to collaborate with AI agents that write, refactor, and debug code in real time. Participants will gain hands-on experience working with Cursor's Chat, Tab, and Agent modes while connecting to GitHub repositories to manage live projects.

Through guided exercises, students will discover how to delegate repetitive coding tasks, integrate context from project files, and harness multi-agent collaboration to improve speed and accuracy. The workshop also covers best practices for context management, prompt engineering within codebases, and AI-assisted pull requests.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the workshop, participants will have had the opportunity to learn how to: 
- Understand the fundamentals of agentic development and Cursor's role in AI-assisted coding
- Configure Cursor and connect it to GitHub for version control and project context
- Use Cursor's Chat, Composer, and Agent tools to generate, edit, and refactor code
- Explore workflow automation through multi-agent collaboration and inline edits
- Apply AI prompting techniques for debugging, documentation, and testing

Topic Outline
Introduction to Agentic Development
- Overview of AI-assisted coding and how agentic workflows differ from traditional development
- Cursor's ecosystem and key features: Chat, Tab, Composer, and Agents
- Setup steps for Cursor, including GitHub integration
- Milestone: Set up Cursor and connect a GitHub repository

Working with AI Agents in Cursor
- Initiating and managing multi-agent collaboration for code generation and refactoring
- Understanding context windows and file awareness
- Managing project-level memory and AI context
- Milestone: Build a simple app with the help of multiple Cursor agents

Prompting and Debugging in Code Context
- Using structured prompts within project files
- Applying AI assistance for debugging, refactoring, and documentation
- Combining prompt templates with Cursor Composer for faster iteration
- Milestone: Create and refine a working feature using Cursor's inline tools

Collaboration and Automation
- Integrating Cursor with GitHub workflows for automated commits and reviews
- Using agents for testing and deployment support
- Managing branches and merges with AI assistance
- Milestone: Complete a small project with AI-driven pull requests

Prerequisites
- A GitHub account with basic familiarity in repositories, commits, and pull requests
- A Cursor account (free or paid) installed and configured before the workshop
- Intermediate coding experience in any programming language (e.g., JavaScript, Python)
- Basic understanding of AI prompting and conversational coding tools