Setting Up Cursor (or VS Code + Copilot) for Free

Time to get hands on. Install a real AI coding editor, sign in, and write your first line together. No credit card required to start.

30 min · Reviewed 2026

Two Paths, Both Free to Start

You have two clean ways to get started in 2026: Cursor (a full AI-first IDE) or VS Code with the GitHub Copilot extension. Both have free tiers that are good enough for every lesson in this track. Pick one and stop agonizing over the choice.

Option A: Cursor

Go to cursor.com and click Download
Install the app like any other program
Launch it and sign in with Google or GitHub
Accept the free Hobby tier — it includes enough completions and chat for learning
Open a folder and start typing

Option B: VS Code + GitHub Copilot

Install VS Code from code.visualstudio.com
Open the Extensions panel (the blocks icon in the sidebar)
Search for GitHub Copilot and click Install
Sign in with a GitHub account — students get Copilot free via GitHub Student Pack
Create a new file and start typing; ghost text should appear within a line or two

First checks to do

# Type this comment on line 1: # Function that returns the first N Fibonacci numbers as a list. # Press Enter. Wait two seconds. Gray text should appear. # Accept with Tab. You should see something like: def fibonacci(n): sequence = [0, 1] while len(sequence) < n: sequence.append(sequence[-1] + sequence[-2]) return sequence[:n] print(fibonacci(10))If you see gray autocomplete text appear, your setup works. Save the file, open a terminal, and run `python fib.py`.

Common install gotchas

If ghost text never appears, check you are signed in — extensions need auth
If Python is not recognized, install it from python.org and restart the editor
Corporate laptops may block extensions — ask IT or use a personal machine
On a Chromebook, use the Linux developer environment or the web-based vscode.dev

The best editor is the one you actually open every day.
— Every senior dev, eventually

The big idea: setup is not the lesson, but it is the gate. Install one of these two, verify ghost text works, and you are ready for everything that follows.

End-of-lesson check

8 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-coding-setting-up-cursor-builders

What is the main idea of "Setting Up Cursor (or VS Code + Copilot) for Free"?
1. Time to get hands on. Install a real AI coding editor, sign in, and write your first line together. No credit card required to start.
2. Use AI as the final authority for the whole decision
3. Avoid checking the answer once it sounds polished
4. Focus only on speed instead of judgment
Which concept is most central to "Setting Up Cursor (or VS Code + Copilot) for Free"?
1. extensions
2. IDE setup
3. sign-in
4. free tier
Which use of AI fits this topic best?
1. Let the AI decide what matters without your review
2. Use the answer before checking whether it fits the situation
3. Go to cursor.com and click Download
4. Use the first answer without checking it
What should a careful learner remember about "Review before you run"?
1. AI code is a first draft. Read through it, understand each line, and test on sample inputs before merging into real projects.
2. Skip the context so the tool can guess faster
3. Treat the output as private even after sharing it online
4. Use the answer without checking the source
You want to use AI after this lesson. What is the safest next step?
1. Act immediately because the AI answer is written clearly
2. Use the AI answer as a draft, then check it against a reliable source.
3. Hide uncertainty so the final answer looks cleaner
4. Use private or sensitive details before checking permission
How should AI output about IDE setup be treated?
1. As proof that no other source is needed
2. As a replacement for context, consent, or expert review
3. As a draft or helper output that still needs human judgment and verification
4. As something that becomes correct when it sounds confident
Name one way to verify an AI answer about IDE setup.
Which action would help you apply "Setting Up Cursor (or VS Code + Copilot) for Free" responsibly?
1. Use the tool to avoid thinking through the tradeoff
2. Keep going even if the output conflicts with a trusted source
3. Use the first answer without checking it
4. Install the app like any other program

← Back to interactive lesson

Tendril · Builders · AI-Assisted Coding

Setting Up Cursor (or VS Code + Copilot) for Free

Time to get hands on. Install a real AI coding editor, sign in, and write your first line together. No credit card required to start.

30 min · Reviewed 2026

Two Paths, Both Free to Start

Option A: Cursor

Go to cursor.com and click Download
Install the app like any other program
Launch it and sign in with Google or GitHub
Accept the free Hobby tier — it includes enough completions and chat for learning
Open a folder and start typing

Option B: VS Code + GitHub Copilot

Install VS Code from code.visualstudio.com
Open the Extensions panel (the blocks icon in the sidebar)
Search for GitHub Copilot and click Install
Sign in with a GitHub account — students get Copilot free via GitHub Student Pack
Create a new file and start typing; ghost text should appear within a line or two

First checks to do

# Type this comment on line 1: # Function that returns the first N Fibonacci numbers as a list. # Press Enter. Wait two seconds. Gray text should appear. # Accept with Tab. You should see something like: def fibonacci(n): sequence = [0, 1] while len(sequence) < n: sequence.append(sequence[-1] + sequence[-2]) return sequence[:n] print(fibonacci(10))If you see gray autocomplete text appear, your setup works. Save the file, open a terminal, and run `python fib.py`.

Common install gotchas

If ghost text never appears, check you are signed in — extensions need auth
If Python is not recognized, install it from python.org and restart the editor
Corporate laptops may block extensions — ask IT or use a personal machine
On a Chromebook, use the Linux developer environment or the web-based vscode.dev

The best editor is the one you actually open every day.
— Every senior dev, eventually

The big idea: setup is not the lesson, but it is the gate. Install one of these two, verify ghost text works, and you are ready for everything that follows.

End-of-lesson check

8 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-coding-setting-up-cursor-builders

What is the main idea of "Setting Up Cursor (or VS Code + Copilot) for Free"?
1. Time to get hands on. Install a real AI coding editor, sign in, and write your first line together. No credit card required to start.
2. Use AI as the final authority for the whole decision
3. Avoid checking the answer once it sounds polished
4. Focus only on speed instead of judgment
Which concept is most central to "Setting Up Cursor (or VS Code + Copilot) for Free"?
1. extensions
2. IDE setup
3. sign-in
4. free tier
Which use of AI fits this topic best?
1. Let the AI decide what matters without your review
2. Use the answer before checking whether it fits the situation
3. Go to cursor.com and click Download
4. Use the first answer without checking it
What should a careful learner remember about "Review before you run"?
1. AI code is a first draft. Read through it, understand each line, and test on sample inputs before merging into real projects.
2. Skip the context so the tool can guess faster
3. Treat the output as private even after sharing it online
4. Use the answer without checking the source
You want to use AI after this lesson. What is the safest next step?
1. Act immediately because the AI answer is written clearly
2. Use the AI answer as a draft, then check it against a reliable source.
3. Hide uncertainty so the final answer looks cleaner
4. Use private or sensitive details before checking permission
How should AI output about IDE setup be treated?
1. As proof that no other source is needed
2. As a replacement for context, consent, or expert review
3. As a draft or helper output that still needs human judgment and verification
4. As something that becomes correct when it sounds confident
Name one way to verify an AI answer about IDE setup.
Which action would help you apply "Setting Up Cursor (or VS Code + Copilot) for Free" responsibly?
1. Use the tool to avoid thinking through the tradeoff
2. Keep going even if the output conflicts with a trusted source
3. Use the first answer without checking it
4. Install the app like any other program

← Back to interactive lesson