Direct Mode

Direct chat + @file reference for quick task completion

~32% — The second most commonly used mode in our team

Mode Overview

Direct Mode is the most intuitive way to use Cursor: describe requirements directly in the chat window, reference relevant files via @file, and let AI generate code immediately.

This is the default mode for most people getting started with Cursor. Simple tasks can often be completed in a single interaction.

Flow Diagram

Use Cases

Scenario	Example
Quick prototype validation	Rapidly implement a feature prototype to validate ideas
Simple code generation	Generate clear, well-bounded code snippets
Bug fixes	Locate and fix known issues
Code reading & review	Understand code logic, get code explanations

Usage Examples

Example 1: Run tests and fix errors

Run ./gradlew test then fix all failing tests

Example 2: Simple feature implementation

src/components/Button.tsx Add loading state to this button component

Example 3: Code refactoring

src/utils/helpers.ts Convert functions in this file to TypeScript and add type definitions

Example 4: Bug fixing

src/pages/Login.tsx Users report not being redirected to home page after login, help me find and fix the issue

Advantages

✅ Easy to start — No extra preparation needed, just start chatting
✅ Flexible iteration — Can continue conversation to modify code
✅ Great for simple tasks — Complete in a single conversation

Limitations

As task complexity increases, Direct Mode reveals these issues:

Issue	Description
Format constraints	Chat window makes it hard to format and segment details properly
Token consumption	Each continued chat consumes a request, using excessive tokens
Context confusion	Long conversations lead to context confusion, declining quality
Retrieval limitations	Relies on Agent retrieval capability, some context may not be found
Hard to preserve	Chat history is difficult to save and reuse, can’t form team knowledge

Best Practices

1. Keep conversations short


❌ Complete multiple unrelated tasks in one conversation
✅ Start a new conversation for each task

2. Provide clear context

src/api/user.ts The fetchUser function at line 42 returns undefined when user doesn't exist, should throw 404 error

3. Clarify expected results

Optimize this component's performance using useMemo to cache computed results and useCallback for event handlers

4. Use @file references effectively

src/types/user.ts src/api/user.ts

Based on these type definitions, add updateUser function to the api file

When to Switch to Other Modes

Consider switching to Document or Draft-Final mode when:

🔄 Need repeated modifications, conversation exceeds 5 rounds
📚 Need to provide extensive reference documentation
🏗️ Task involves multiple files or modules
🤔 Uncertain about implementation approach
👥 Need to share development thoughts with team members

Next Steps

When tasks become complex and require structured documentation, refer to Document Mode.