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From Cursor to Antigravity: The Developer's Definitive Migration Guide

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Nick

December 12, 2025

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From Cursor to Antigravity: The Developer's Definitive Migration Guide

If 2024 was the year of the "AI Copilot," 2025 is the year of the "AI Agent."

For the past year, Cursor has reigned supreme as the undisputed king of AI code editors. By forking VS Code and injecting it with a "Composer" mode and hyper-fast context awareness, it changed how we write code. But the release of Google Antigravity in November 2025 has shifted the ground beneath us.

We are no longer just writing code faster; we are orchestrating it.

If you are looking to migrate from Cursor, you aren't just switching tools—you are switching mindsets. You are moving from a tool that helps you type (Cursor) to a platform that plans, executes, and verifies tasks for you (Antigravity).

This guide is your comprehensive flight path. We will cover everything from exporting your settings to mastering the "Manager View," ensuring your switch to Antigravity is seamless.

Why Switch to Antigravity?

Before we nuke your ~/.cursor config directory, let’s look at why developers are making the jump.

Feature	Cursor (The Incumbent)	Google Antigravity (The Challenger)
Core Philosophy	Assistant-First: "Help me write this function."	Agent-First: "Build this login page and test it."
Interface	Standard Editor + Chat Sidebar.	Dual View: "Editor View" for code, "Manager View" for agents.
Verification	Human review (Diffs).	Artifacts: Screenshots, Browser Recordings, Walkthroughs.
Browser	Embedded Browser (Manual/Agent DOM check).	Autonomous Browser Extension: Agents record video proof of work.
Models	Claude 3.5, GPT-4o (Paid).	Gemini 3 Pro, Claude Sonnet 4.5 (Currently Free in Preview).
Pricing	Free / $20 Pro / Business.	(Generous rate limits).

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code --list-extensions > my_extensions.txt
2. Export Your Keybindings
If you have customized your keybindings in Cursor (e.g., Vim mode or custom macros), locate your keybindings.json file.

Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/keybindings.json

Windows: %APPDATA%\Cursor\User\keybindings.json

Linux: ~/.config/Cursor/User/keybindings.json

Save this file locally. You will paste its content into Antigravity later.

3. Save Your "Rules"
Cursor users rely heavily on .cursorrules to give the AI context about their project (e.g., "Always use Tailwind CSS," "Prefer functional components"). Antigravity uses a different system called "Knowledge" and "Project Context," but the raw text of your rules is still valuable. Copy the content of your .cursorrules file into a temporary text document.

Step-by-Step Migration Guide
Step 1: Installation and Initial Setup
Download the installer from antigravity.google.

Upon first launch, Antigravity will detect existing VS Code installations.

The Happy Path: If prompted to "Import Settings from VS Code," say Yes. This will bring over your theme, fonts, and generic extensions.

The Manual Path: If it doesn't detect Cursor specifically (since Cursor stores configs differently than standard VS Code), you may need to manually reinstall extensions.

Pro Tip: Install the "Antigravity Browser Extension" immediately when prompted. This is not optional if you want the "Agent" features to work correctly. It allows the AI to control Chrome to test your web apps.

Step 2: The Interface Shift (Manager vs. Editor)
This is where most Cursor users get confused. You will see two primary modes:

Editor View: Looks exactly like Cursor/VS Code. This is where you write code manually.

Manager View (Mission Control): This is new. It’s a Kanban-style board where you oversee "Agents."

Your New Workflow: Instead of hitting Cmd+K (Cursor's inline edit) immediately, you might start in the Manager View.

Click "New Task".

Type: "Set up a basic Next.js scaffolding with Shadcn UI."

Watch as the Agent spawns, breaks the request into a Task List, generates an Implementation Plan, and asks for your approval.

Step 3: Migrating Your "Muscle Memory" (Keybindings)
To make Antigravity feel like home, let's restore your bindings.

Open Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P).

Type Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts (JSON).

Paste the content of your backed-up keybindings.json here.

Critical Note: Antigravity uses Cmd+E (or Ctrl+E) to toggle between Editor and Manager views. Ensure you don't overwrite this, or you'll lose access to the agent dashboard!

Step 4: Transferring Context (The .cursorrules Equivalent)
Antigravity doesn't look for a .cursorrules file by default. Instead, it builds context through "Knowledge" and interaction history.

However, you can jumpstart this:

Create a file named PROJECT_CONTEXT.md or ARCHITECTURE.md in your root directory.

Paste your specific coding standards (from your old .cursorrules) here.

When starting a new Agent task, simply reference this file: "Refactor the API using the standards in @PROJECT_CONTEXT.md".

Antigravity agents are smart enough to read and adhere to these project-level documentation files without needing a hidden config file.

Mastering the New Features
To truly switch to Antigravity, you need to stop using it like a text editor and start using it like an employee manager.

1. Artifacts: Trust but Verify
In Cursor, you read code diffs. In Antigravity, you review Artifacts. When an agent finishes a task, it presents a "Walkthrough." This includes:

Screenshots: The agent takes a picture of the UI it built.

Browser Recording: A video file showing the agent clicking buttons and verifying the login flow works.

Code Diffs: The actual changes.

Migration Tip: Don't just read the code. Watch the recording. If the recording shows the app crashing, reject the artifact.

2. Terminal Permissions (The "Turbo" Mode)
One friction point for Cursor users is Antigravity asking for permission to run every terminal command (npm install, git status). To fix this:

Go to Settings.

Search for Terminal Command Execution.

Set it to Turbo Mode.

Warning: This allows the Agent to run commands without asking. Only do this if you trust the model not to rm -rf / your project (it has safeguards, but be careful).

3. Planning Mode vs. Fast Mode
Antigravity chat has two modes:

Fast Mode: Similar to Cursor's Chat. Good for quick questions.

Planning Mode: The heavy hitter. It thinks, outlines a plan, creates files, and runs tests. Use this for complex migrations.

Troubleshooting the Switch
"It feels slower than Cursor!"
Yes, it is. Cursor's "Composer" model is optimized for low-latency code generation (speed). Antigravity is optimized for reasoning and autonomy. It takes longer because it is doing more (planning, verifying, testing).

Fix: Use Antigravity for larger tasks (async work) while you work on something else. Don't stare at the screen waiting for it to type; go check your email or review the Manager board.

"My Extensions aren't showing up."
Antigravity is a "Generic" VS Code fork, meaning it connects to the Open VSX Registry or Microsoft Marketplace depending on configuration.

Fix: You can manually drag and drop .vsix files if you can't find a specific proprietary extension in the search bar.

"I miss the 'Tab' to complete."
Antigravity does have tab-autocomplete (powered by Gemini), but it might feel different from Cursor's "Copilot++".

Fix: Give it a few days. The model learns your style. If it's really bothering you, check the "Editor: Inline Suggestion" settings to tweak the delay.

Conclusion: Is the Grass Greener?
Migrating from Cursor to Antigravity is a move towards the future of software development. You are trading raw typing speed for architectural autonomy.

Stick with Cursor if: You want a super-fast, hot-rod editor that helps you type code instantly.

Switch to Antigravity if: You want to delegate entire features to an AI, manage a team of agents, and enjoy the integration of Gemini 3 Pro without a monthly subscription (for now).

The "Agent Era" is here. Welcome to mission control.

*For advanced Antigravity agent personas, reusable missions, and real-world workflows, explore:*  
👉 **https://antigravityai.directory**