Cursor modes

Modes are presets for how the Cursor agent behaves in a given session — each one changes which tools are available, whether writes are allowed, and how the system prompt frames the task. The four core modes:

• Agent — default. Full tool access, can edit files, run commands, call MCP servers. Use when you know what you want built.
• Plan — read-only collaboration for designing an approach before touching code. Use for large refactors, ambiguous tasks, or decisions with real trade-offs.
• Ask — read-only Q&A. Use when you just want to understand code without any changes.
• Debug — systematic troubleshooting with runtime evidence (logs, tests, reproduction). Use when a bug is subtle and you need investigation, not edits.

The agent can propose a mode switch mid-session when it realises the task type has changed (e.g. a "small fix" turns into a design decision → switch to Plan). The mental model: same agent, different defaults — matches what programmer IDEs have done forever with "edit" vs "preview" vs "debug". See also: one main agent per product, many planners around it — a workflow built on the Plan/Agent split.