Quick Start

This guide takes you from nothing installed to a working plugin deployed to your team. By the end you will understand what Cursorist does, how plugins are structured, and how to install or create them.

Step 1 — Understand the Concept

Every Cursor project can have rules (.mdc files), skills (SKILL.md), MCP server configs, and custom commands. Normally, you create these files manually in each project.

Cursorist bundles all of them into a single plugin. A plugin is a versioned package that contains all the standards your team needs. Install it once, and the entire project is configured.

my-team-plugin/
├── rules/project-standards.mdc     ← Cursor rules
├── skills/project-lead/SKILL.md    ← Agent skills
├── commands/refresh-standards.md   ← Custom commands
└── mcp/cursorist.mcp.json          ← MCP server config

Step 2 — Install the CLI

npm install -g cursorist

Or, if you prefer not to install globally:

npx cursorist <command>

Verify it worked:

cursorist --version

Step 3 — Log In

Cursorist uses GitHub OAuth for authentication:

cursorist login

A browser window opens. Authorize the app, and you are done. Your credentials are stored locally at ~/.cursorist/config.json.

Check your status at any time:

cursorist status

Step 4 — Create Your First Plugin

Navigate to your project directory and run:

cursorist plugin init

The wizard asks you to:

1. Pick an organization (or create one on cursor.ist first)
2. Pick a team within that org
3. Name your plugin
4. Choose which components to include (rules, skills, commands, MCP)

After the wizard finishes, you will have a .cursor-plugin/plugin.json manifest and starter files in the appropriate directories.

Step 5 — Customize the Content

Open the generated files and edit them to match your team's standards. For example, edit rules/project-standards.mdc:

---
description: Core coding standards for the frontend team
globs: ["**/*.ts", "**/*.tsx"]
alwaysApply: false
---

# Frontend Standards

- Use functional components with hooks
- Keep components under 200 lines
- Prefer named exports over default exports
- Write tests for business logic, not UI wiring

Step 6 — Validate

Before deploying, check that everything is correct:

cursorist plugin validate

This verifies the manifest has all required fields and that asset files exist in the declared component directories.

Step 7 — Deploy

Publish your plugin:

cursorist plugin deploy --org myorg --team frontend --plugin my-starter

Your plugin is now live on cursor.ist. Team members can install it with a single click or CLI command.

Step 8 — Install It (As a Team Member)

There are three ways to install a published plugin:

Option A: One-Click Deeplink

Click the "Install" button on the plugin page at cursor.ist. Cursor opens and asks you to confirm. Done.

Option B: CLI

cursorist plugin install myorg/frontend/my-starter

Option C: MCP Agent

If you have the Cursorist MCP server configured, ask Cursor's agent:

"Install the myorg/frontend/my-starter plugin."

What's Next?

You now know the full loop: create, validate, deploy, install.

• Go deeper on plugin structure: Plugin Architecture
• Full CLI reference: CLI Commands
• Set up one-click installs: Integration Guide
• Detailed install walkthrough: Installation