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ArangoGutierrezArangoGutierrez/claude-toolkit/.cursor/skills-cursor/update-cursor-settings/SKILL.md

update-cursor-settings

Skill4 starsChanged 3 months agoMITView on GitHub

Modify Cursor/VSCode user settings in settings.json. Use when you want to change editor settings, preferences, configuration, themes, font size, tab size, format on save, auto save, keybindings, or any settings.json values.

We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

11 rules. 9 are common, 0 are distinctive, and 2 are very specific to this project.

  • 9

    Common

    Most of the 3 edited versions we read keep these.

  • 0

    Distinctive

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 2

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Common:

    Preserve existing settings: - only add/modify what the user requested

    line 26
  2. Common:

    Validate JSON syntax: before writing to avoid breaking the editor

    line 27
  3. Common:

    Add or update the requested setting

    line 52
  4. Common:

    Write back with proper formatting (2-space indentation)

    line 54
  5. Common:

    If user says "make the font bigger":

    line 58
  6. Common:

    If user says "format my code when I save":

    line 68
  7. Common:

    If user says "use dark theme" or "change my theme":

    line 78
  8. Very specific:

    Commit Attribution: When the user asks about commit attribution, clarify whether they want to edit the CLI agent or the IDE agent.

    line 98
  9. Very specific:

    Read ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/settings.json

    line 118
  10. Common:

    Add/modify the requested setting(s)

    line 120
  11. Common:

    Write the updated JSON back to the file

    line 121

“Common” is measured: kept by at least 6 in 10 of the 3 edited versions of this file we could read. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
SKILL.md

Updating Cursor Settings

This skill guides you through modifying Cursor/VSCode user settings. Use this when you want to change editor settings, preferences, configuration, themes, keybindings, or any settings.json values.

Settings File Location

OSPath
macOS~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/settings.json
Linux~/.config/Cursor/User/settings.json
Windows%APPDATA%\Cursor\User\settings.json

Before Modifying Settings

  1. Read the existing settings file to understand current configuration
  2. Preserve existing settings - only add/modify what the user requested
  3. Validate JSON syntax before writing to avoid breaking the editor

Modifying Settings

Step 1: Read Current Settings

// Read the settings file first
const settingsPath = "~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/settings.json";
// Use the Read tool to get current contents

Step 2: Identify the Setting to Change

Common setting categories:

  • Editor: editor.fontSize, editor.tabSize, editor.wordWrap, editor.formatOnSave
  • Workbench: workbench.colorTheme, workbench.iconTheme, workbench.sideBar.location
  • Files: files.autoSave, files.exclude, files.associations
  • Terminal: terminal.integrated.fontSize, terminal.integrated.shell.*
  • Cursor-specific: Settings prefixed with cursor. or aipopup.

Step 3: Update the Setting

When modifying settings.json:

  1. Parse the existing JSON (handle comments - VSCode settings support JSON with comments)
  2. Add or update the requested setting
  3. Preserve all other existing settings
  4. Write back with proper formatting (2-space indentation)

Example: Changing Font Size

If user says "make the font bigger":

{
  "editor.fontSize": 16
}

Example: Enabling Format on Save

If user says "format my code when I save":

{
  "editor.formatOnSave": true
}

Example: Changing Theme

If user says "use dark theme" or "change my theme":

{
  "workbench.colorTheme": "Default Dark Modern"
}

Important Notes

  1. JSON with Comments: VSCode/Cursor settings.json supports comments (// and /* */). When reading, be aware comments may exist. When writing, preserve comments if possible.
  2. Restart May Be Required: Some settings take effect immediately, others require reloading the window or restarting Cursor. Inform the user if a restart is needed.
  3. Backup: For significant changes, consider mentioning the user can undo via Ctrl/Cmd+Z in the settings file or by reverting git changes if tracked.
  4. Workspace vs User Settings:
    • User settings (what this skill covers): Apply globally to all projects
    • Workspace settings (.vscode/settings.json): Apply only to the current project
  5. Commit Attribution: When the user asks about commit attribution, clarify whether they want to edit the CLI agent or the IDE agent. For the CLI agent, modify ~/.cursor/cli-config.json. For the IDE agent, it is controlled from the UI at Cursor Settings > Agent > Attribution (not settings.json).

Common User Requests → Settings

User RequestSetting
"bigger/smaller font"editor.fontSize
"change tab size"editor.tabSize
"format on save"editor.formatOnSave
"word wrap"editor.wordWrap
"change theme"workbench.colorTheme
"hide minimap"editor.minimap.enabled
"auto save"files.autoSave
"line numbers"editor.lineNumbers
"bracket matching"editor.bracketPairColorization.enabled
"cursor style"editor.cursorStyle
"smooth scrolling"editor.smoothScrolling

Workflow

  1. Read ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/settings.json
  2. Parse the JSON content
  3. Add/modify the requested setting(s)
  4. Write the updated JSON back to the file
  5. Inform the user the setting has been changed and whether a reload is needed

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