15 December, 2025

Vursor: All the best of Vim in Cursor (or VSCode)

Vursor

As I am "forced" to write less Scala and more TypeScript and I want to profit from AI assistance while still being in control and writing code myself, I am switching more and more to Cursor and away from IntelliJ. At first I did not feel at home, all my muscle memory for all the vim bindings did nothing for me. I longed to go back to IntelliJ or Vim to feel the flow. But then I realised I could just port my VimtelliJ bindings to Cursor. And now all is ❤️

But first of all lets make the interface a bit nicer, hide those tabs. Once you get used to this, you never look back, so much cleaner!

"workbench.editor.showTabs": "none"

Same as in IntelliJ I only use shift + tab for switching through recent files and my shortcuts, e.g. <leader>ff to find files by filename.

Alright, so after installing the VSCodeVim extension let's configure.

Note: This config works in both Cursor and VS Code, they share the same settings format.

Basic Setup

First, let's set up the essentials. Space as leader, surround plugin, highlighted yank, and some sensible search defaults:

"vim.leader": "<space>",
"vim.surround": true,
"vim.highlightedyank.enable": true,
"vim.highlightedyank.duration": 200,
"vim.replaceWithRegister": true,
"vim.hlsearch": true,
"vim.incsearch": true,
"vim.ignorecase": true,
"vim.smartcase": true,
"vim.useSystemClipboard": true,
"vim.scrolloff": 3,
"vim.visualbell": true,
"editor.lineNumbers": "relative",

We also need to tell vim which keys it should handle vs. letting Cursor handle them:

"vim.handleKeys": {
  "<C-d>": true,
  "<C-u>": true,
  "<C-f>": false,
  "<C-p>": false,
  "<C-n>": true,
}

Here are some of my favorite features

Go to Definition and Navigation

This is the most important stuff for navigation. Jump to definition, find references, peek at implementations, all without touching the mouse:

{ "before": ["<leader>", "g", "d"], "commands": ["editor.action.revealDefinition"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "g", "r"], "commands": ["editor.action.goToReferences"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "g", "i"], "commands": ["editor.action.goToImplementation"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "g", "s"], "commands": ["workbench.action.gotoSymbol"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "s", "d"], "commands": ["editor.action.peekDefinition"] },

And to go right back (or forward again) after looking at the defintion:

{ "before": ["<C-o>"], "commands": ["workbench.action.navigateBack"] },
{ "before": ["<C-i>"], "commands": ["workbench.action.navigateForward"] },

In the GIF below: <space>gd to jump to definition, then Ctrl-o to jump back:

Go to definition

Show Type Info

One of my most used bindings. Press K on anything to see its type and documentation:

{ "before": ["K"], "commands": ["editor.action.showHover"] },

This works in visual mode too, so you can select an expression and check its type.

The cgn Workflow

This is pure vim magic and one of my absolute favorites. Want to rename something across your file without a refactoring tool?

Put cursor on the word
Press * to search for it
Press cgn to change the next occurrence
Type your replacement
Press Esc
Press . to repeat on the next occurrence, or n to skip

No config needed, this is built into vim. And it is faster than refactoring in many cases, as it is not realying on any structural logic in the background.

Refactorings

Cursor's refactoring support is pretty good. I mapped them all to <leader>r:

{ "before": ["<leader>", "r", "n"], "commands": ["editor.action.rename"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "r", "v"], "commands": ["editor.action.codeAction"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "r", "m"], "commands": ["editor.action.codeAction"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "r", "r"], "commands": ["editor.action.refactor"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "o", "i"], "commands": ["editor.action.organizeImports"] },

In the GIF below: <space>rn to rename the symbol under cursor:

Rename refactoring

Quick Fix and Formatting

Super important, the quickfix action opens the suggestion lightbulb menu:

{ "before": ["<leader>", "q", "f"], "commands": ["editor.action.quickFix"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "F"], "commands": ["editor.action.formatDocument"] },

Search

Navigating without the mouse means having good search bindings:

{ "before": ["<leader>", "f", "f"], "commands": ["workbench.action.quickOpen"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "f", "s"], "commands": ["workbench.action.showAllSymbols"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "f", "g"], "commands": ["workbench.action.findInFiles"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "f", "r"], "commands": ["workbench.action.replaceInFiles"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "f", "a"], "commands": ["workbench.action.showCommands"] },

Tests

Running tests right from your fingertips:

{ "before": ["<leader>", "g", "t"], "commands": ["testing.goToTest"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "t", "n"], "commands": ["testing.runAtCursor"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "t", "l"], "commands": ["testing.reRunLastRun"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "t", "f"], "commands": ["testing.reRunFailTests"] },

Navigation through Errors and Changes

Jump between errors and git changes:

{ "before": ["]", "c"], "commands": ["editor.action.marker.next"] },
{ "before": ["[", "c"], "commands": ["editor.action.marker.prev"] },
{ "before": ["]", "h"], "commands": ["workbench.action.editor.nextChange"] },
{ "before": ["[", "h"], "commands": ["workbench.action.editor.previousChange"] },

Other Useful Bits

Commenting, toggling the sidebar, clearing search highlights:

{ "before": ["<leader>", "c", "c"], "commands": ["editor.action.commentLine"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "n"], "commands": ["workbench.view.explorer"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "m"], "commands": ["workbench.action.toggleSidebarVisibility"] },
{ "before": ["<C-l>"], "commands": [":nohl"] },
{ "before": ["<leader>", "u", "h"], "commands": ["workbench.action.localHistory.openAll"] },

Downsides

There are some things I miss compared to IntelliJ or native Vim:

No visual star plugin, can't press * on a multi-word selection and then jump with n (need find for that: /{words I want} for that)
No yank history / paste multiple - IntelliJ's PasteMultiple was nice
Some minor quirks here and there

But overall, I'm pretty happy. The muscle memory is back, and I can enjoy Cursor's AI features while still feeling at home.

Full Vim Config (click to expand)

Add this to your Cursor settings.json:

"vim.leader": "<space>",
"vim.surround": true,
"vim.highlightedyank.enable": true,
"vim.highlightedyank.duration": 200,
"vim.replaceWithRegister": true,
"vim.hlsearch": true,
"vim.incsearch": true,
"vim.ignorecase": true,
"vim.smartcase": true,
"vim.useSystemClipboard": true,
"vim.scrolloff": 3,
"vim.visualbell": true,
"editor.lineNumbers": "relative",
"vim.handleKeys": {
  "<C-d>": true,
  "<C-u>": true,
  "<C-f>": false,
  "<C-p>": false,
  "<C-n>": true
},
"vim.normalModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive": [
  { "before": ["<C-l>"], "commands": [":nohl"] },
  { "before": ["<Esc>", "<Esc>"], "commands": [":nohl"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "n"], "commands": ["workbench.view.explorer"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "m"], "commands": ["workbench.action.toggleSidebarVisibility"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "c", "c"], "commands": ["editor.action.commentLine"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "r", "n"], "commands": ["editor.action.rename"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "r", "v"], "commands": ["editor.action.codeAction"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "r", "m"], "commands": ["editor.action.codeAction"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "r", "r"], "commands": ["editor.action.refactor"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "o", "i"], "commands": ["editor.action.organizeImports"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "q", "f"], "commands": ["editor.action.quickFix"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "F"], "commands": ["editor.action.formatDocument"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "g", "d"], "commands": ["editor.action.revealDefinition"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "g", "r"], "commands": ["editor.action.goToReferences"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "g", "i"], "commands": ["editor.action.goToImplementation"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "g", "s"], "commands": ["workbench.action.gotoSymbol"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "s", "d"], "commands": ["editor.action.peekDefinition"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "s", "p"], "commands": ["editor.action.triggerParameterHints"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "f", "f"], "commands": ["workbench.action.quickOpen"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "f", "s"], "commands": ["workbench.action.showAllSymbols"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "f", "g"], "commands": ["workbench.action.findInFiles"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "f", "r"], "commands": ["workbench.action.replaceInFiles"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "f", "a"], "commands": ["workbench.action.showCommands"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "g", "t"], "commands": ["testing.goToTest"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "t", "n"], "commands": ["testing.runAtCursor"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "t", "l"], "commands": ["testing.reRunLastRun"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "t", "f"], "commands": ["testing.reRunFailTests"] },
  { "before": ["]", "c"], "commands": ["editor.action.marker.next"] },
  { "before": ["[", "c"], "commands": ["editor.action.marker.prev"] },
  { "before": ["]", "h"], "commands": ["workbench.action.editor.nextChange"] },
  { "before": ["[", "h"], "commands": ["workbench.action.editor.previousChange"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "s", "e"], "commands": ["editor.action.showHover"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "u", "h"], "commands": ["workbench.action.localHistory.openAll"] },
  { "before": ["<C-o>"], "commands": ["workbench.action.navigateBack"] },
  { "before": ["<C-i>"], "commands": ["workbench.action.navigateForward"] },
  { "before": ["K"], "commands": ["editor.action.showHover"] }
],
"vim.visualModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive": [
  { "before": ["<leader>", "c", "c"], "commands": ["editor.action.commentLine"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "c", "b"], "commands": ["editor.action.blockComment"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "r", "n"], "commands": ["editor.action.rename"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "r", "v"], "commands": ["editor.action.codeAction"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "r", "m"], "commands": ["editor.action.codeAction"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "r", "r"], "commands": ["editor.action.refactor"] },
  { "before": ["<leader>", "f", "g"], "commands": ["workbench.action.findInFiles"] },
  { "before": ["K"], "commands": ["editor.action.showHover"] }
]

Dev Log

Yannick Gladow