In December 2024, I wrote an article sharing my expertise utilizing VSCode (GitHub Copilot) and Cursor (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) from the angle of a Information 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 major IDE of alternative.
On this article, I’ll talk about why I’m now not utilizing Cursor, why I’ve reverted to VSCode and GitHub Copilot, and my opinion on what IDE you have to be utilizing as a Information Scientist.
What I Appreciated Most About Cursor
Let me state this primary: Cursor is a good product. I saved listening to builders talk about Cursor an increasing number of, with many profiting 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 beloved that Cursor’s interface was the identical as VSCode. Upon set up, Cursor enabled you to obtain all of your present VSCode extensions, which undoubtedly 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 flexibility to make use of quite a lot of completely different LLMs, not like GitHub Copilot, which had restrictions on what LLMs have been obtainable. Secondly, Cursor had a function known as “Composer” that allowed customers to generate a whole undertaking code base by merely describing it by way of a immediate.
As described in my article “Must you change from VSCode to Cursor?”, these have been the 2 options I used to be most enthusiastic about and based mostly my preliminary overview on.
Why I Switched Again to VSCode
VSCode has been my major 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 another UI.
GitHub Copilot eradicated one of many two foremost causes for my preliminary transfer to Cursor when it enabled the flexibility to implement SOTA newly-released LLMs. As of writing in April 2025, beneath is the present record of LLMs obtainable by way of GitHub Copilot:
Claude 3.7 Sonnet was launched on February twenty fourth, 2025. On the identical day, Microsoft introduced 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 obtainable on the identical 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 Information Scientist, I usually work in Jupyter Notebooks for exploration duties. Though AI-assistance works higher when Programming utilizing .py information, I discover VSCode is healthier than Cursor when working with Jupyter Notebooks.
Vscode presents GitHub Copilot directions when including a brand new cell to your pocket book, this isn’t obtainable utilizing Cursor. Though AI-assistance is accessible, it’s tougher because the person 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 flexibility to speak 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 simple to implement AI-assistance in your coding workflow.
The ultimate two elements, which have been much less necessary however undoubtedly performed a task in my total determination, have been price and utilization in my skilled position.
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 direction of reverting to VSCode.
Lastly, in my skilled position as a Lead Information Scientist, I take advantage of VSCode each day. I’d by no means choose an IDE based mostly solely on the one I take advantage of in my skilled position, though it undoubtedly helps to maintain issues aligned the place attainable.
For the aim of this text, I’m highlighting high-level factors from my expertise with VSCode and GitHub Copilot. Be happy to message me by way of social media you probably have extra particular questions you wish to ask.
How GitHub Copilot Closed the Hole
GitHub was bought 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 sources on bettering their product providing.
As an finish person, competitors is inspired because it pushes corporations to innovate and develop at a tempo that permits them to maintain up with one another. This additionally signifies that when a brand new function is launched and is extensively adopted by the group, all the competitor corporations 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 now 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 right now, there aren’t many options that Cursor presents that aren’t additionally obtainable utilizing VSCode and GitHub Copilot. Microsoft has proven previously 4 months that it’s inserting enormous significance on making GitHub Copilot the perfect AI coding assistant in the marketplace. Whereas some enhancements are nonetheless wanted, they’re transferring at a fast tempo, closing the hole, and are able to guide the market by the tip of 2025.
Remaining Ideas
Firstly, I don’t imagine any textual content editor/IDE is healthier than every other. It is best to at all times make this judgment your self based mostly on trial-and-error and never finalise your determination based mostly 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 determination. 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 at all times be options that pop up right here and there that aren’t obtainable within the IDE you’re at the moment utilizing. In the event that they’re extensively adopted by the group, 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 based mostly on my private expertise; I’ve no affiliation with Cursor, VSCode, or GitHub Copilot. Until acknowledged in any other case, the creator owns all pictures included on this article.
For those who loved studying this text, please observe me on Medium, X, and GitHub for related content material referring to Information Science, Synthetic Intelligence, and Engineering.
Comfortable studying! 🚀