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Cursor documents Agent as a coding assistant that uses instructions, tools and a selected model to work on tasks. It can inspect project files, edit code and run terminal commands, then use the results of those actions to continue. That is a useful way to understand its workflow—not a description of private prompts or a guaranteed sequence of internal steps. Node.js 22’s native TypeScript support is a separate, local runtime feature that can run certain TypeScript files without a build step; it does not type-check them.
How does Cursor Agent Mode work?
Cursor’s documentation describes Agent as an assistant that can handle coding tasks, run terminal commands and edit code. Its overview says: “Agent is Cursor’s assistant that can complete complex coding tasks independently, run terminal commands, and edit code.” The documented components are instructions, tools and the selected model. Cursor’s Agent overview
A practical way to picture the documented behavior is as a tool-use loop. The exact actions depend on the request and project; Cursor’s public documentation does not establish a fixed call sequence or disclose its complete private prompts, model routing or orchestration algorithm.
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- Receive a goal and applicable instructions. The user describes the task, while configured instructions guide how the assistant approaches it. Instructions shape its work; they do not mean every task follows the same plan.
- Gather project context. Agent can search the codebase and read relevant files. What it inspects depends on the task; there is no documented universal list of files it always opens.
- Choose an action. It may inspect more code, edit one or more files, or run a terminal command. These are available tools, not proof that Agent always produces a human-readable plan before acting.
- Use tool results to continue. File contents and command output give the assistant information it can use for further actions. This is a reader-friendly explanation of tool use, not a claim about Cursor’s hidden scheduling logic.
- Review the result. Agent can make multi-file edits and run checks, but its actions should still be inspected. Cursor’s Agent documentation and terminal documentation describe these capabilities.
Agent, Ask and Custom modes: what changes?
These modes describe the kind of interaction and tool access available. They are distinct from Run Modes, which govern command approval and execution behavior.
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| Mode | Documented role | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Agent | Autonomous exploration and task work, including code edits and terminal use, subject to available tools and settings. | Tasks that may require investigation and changes across files. |
| Ask | Read-only exploration. | Questions about code or a request to investigate without editing. |
| Custom | User-configured instructions and tool selection. | A workflow tailored to a narrower or specific task. |
These descriptions reflect Cursor’s published mode documentation; product controls and defaults can change. Check the options currently shown in your Cursor version.
How do Run Modes affect command safety?
Run Modes concern approval and execution, rather than how much autonomy a mode such as Agent is intended to have. Cursor documents Auto-review, Allowlist and Run Everything. Their practical distinction is whether calls are reviewed by a classifier, limited by an allowlist or run with fewer approval restrictions. Exact behavior and availability may vary with product updates and settings, so consult Cursor’s current security documentation.
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- Auto-review: Cursor uses a classifier to decide whether a tool call needs approval. Cursor warns that this is not a security boundary; a classifier can make mistakes.
- Allowlist: Execution is governed by the configured allowlist. Review what is permitted before relying on it.
- Run Everything: This permits broader command execution, so inspect commands and their effects carefully.
Cursor’s terminal documentation describes sandboxing as a restricted environment that can block unauthorized file access and network activity. Sandboxing reduces some risks but does not eliminate them, and not every agent necessarily runs in the same environment. Cloud and background agents have separate environment characteristics and are not covered by this local-workflow explanation. Cursor terminal documentation · Cursor security documentation
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Because workspace changes may be written immediately, use version control and review the diff before accepting the result. Treat commands as actions with possible side effects, especially when approval settings permit them to run without confirmation.
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Can Node.js 22 run TypeScript without a build step?
Yes, for TypeScript syntax that can be erased without generating JavaScript. Node.js’s built-in type stripping removes inline type syntax so the remaining code can run; it does not type-check the program or provide the full TypeScript compiler pipeline. Node’s v22.21.0 documentation says the feature was added in v22.6.0 and enabled by default, without an experimental warning, starting in v22.18.0. These defaults are specific to those Node.js 22 releases. Node.js v22 TypeScript documentation
For example, with a nearby package.json containing {"type":"module"}, these files use erasable types, explicit type-only imports and the required relative .ts extension:
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// greet.ts
import type { User } from './user.ts';
export function greet(user: User): string {
return `Hello, ${user.name}`;
}
// user.ts
export type User = { name: string };Run the entry file with node greet.ts on a Node.js 22 release with built-in type stripping enabled. This example illustrates the documented constraints; it is not a claim of a tested result. Add a separate TypeScript checker to the development workflow if type correctness matters.
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Type stripping is a runtime convenience, not a substitute for compilation. Keep these limitations in view when deciding whether a project can run directly under Node:
- No type checking: Removing type annotations does not verify that values conform to their declared types.
- No automatic compiler transforms for syntax that needs JavaScript generation: Constructs such as enums, namespaces, legacy module syntax and parameter properties require the transform-types path. Node.js v22’s CLI documentation says
--experimental-transform-typesimplies stripping and source maps; plain stripping does not transform these constructs. Node.js v22 CLI documentation - No
tsconfig.jsoncompiler transformations or path aliases: Node does not use that file to provide these compiler features for native stripping. - No JSX:
.tsxfiles are unsupported. - Module rules still apply: Node determines the module system for
.tsas it does for.js. For ESM, set the nearest package’s"type"to"module"or use.mts; for CommonJS, userequireandmodule.exports, or use.cts. Node does not convert between the two systems. - Imports need runtime-compatible forms: Relative TypeScript imports need the
.tsextension. Mark imports used only as types withimport type; otherwise Node treats them as value imports and may fail at runtime.
The versioned Node.js v22 TypeScript documentation recommends TypeScript 5.8 or later and these compiler settings for editor or checker alignment: target: "esnext", module: "nodenext", rewriteRelativeImportExtensions: true, erasableSyntaxOnly: true and verbatimModuleSyntax: true. noEmit is optional when the workflow only executes .ts files. These settings do not turn Node into a type checker or make it read tsconfig.json for runtime transforms.
How do Cursor Agent and Node.js 22 fit together?
They solve different problems. Cursor Agent can inspect and edit a repository and run terminal commands; Node.js 22 can execute supported TypeScript files locally by stripping erasable type syntax. An Agent task might involve creating or changing a TypeScript file and invoking a Node command, but native stripping is not evidence that Cursor itself depends on it. Choose the runtime path based on the project’s syntax, module setup and need for type checking, then review both the code changes and any commands Agent runs.
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