cursor-nixos-flake/README.md

Cursor Flake

A NixOS flake that provides a complete development environment with Cursor 1.3.9 (AI-first code editor) as an AppImage.

Features

• Cursor 1.3.9: Latest version of the AI-first code editor
• AppImage Support: Full AppImage compatibility with proper desktop integration
• Development Tools: Complete development environment with Node.js, Python, Rust, and more
• Modern Shell: Zsh with Starship prompt and useful aliases
• Desktop Environment: GNOME with essential utilities
• Git Integration: Pre-configured Git with modern defaults

Prerequisites

• NixOS system with flakes enabled
• At least 8GB RAM recommended
• 20GB free disk space

Installation

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/thinktankmachine/cursor-nixos-flake
cd cursor-flake

2. Update the SHA256 Hash (if needed)

The current configuration uses the working Cursor 1.3.9 download URL. If you need to update to a newer version, run:

./update-cursor-hash.sh

This will automatically update the hash in home.nix with the correct value.

3. Customize Configuration

Edit the following files to match your system:

• configuration.nix: System-wide settings
• home.nix: User-specific settings (change username from "liam" to your username)
• hardware-configuration.nix: Hardware-specific settings (run nixos-generate-config on your target system)

4. Build and Switch

# Build the configuration
sudo nixos-rebuild build --flake .#cursor-system

# Switch to the new configuration
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .#cursor-system

5. First Boot Setup

After the first boot:

1. Log in as the configured user
2. Cursor will be available in the applications menu
3. You can also launch it from the terminal with cursor

Configuration

Cursor Settings

The flake includes pre-configured Cursor settings in ~/.config/Cursor/User/settings.json:

• Modern font (JetBrains Mono with ligatures)
• Dark theme
• Optimized editor settings
• Cursor AI features enabled

Development Environment

The flake includes:

• Languages: Node.js 20, Python 3, Rust
• Tools: Git, ripgrep, fd, bat, exa, fzf, tmux
• Shell: Zsh with Starship prompt
• Terminal: Alacritty

Customization

To customize the configuration:

1. Add packages: Edit home.nix and add to home.packages
2. Change shell: Modify the shell configuration in home.nix
3. Update Cursor settings: Edit the settings in home.nix
4. System packages: Add to environment.systemPackages in configuration.nix

Troubleshooting

AppImage Issues

If Cursor doesn't run properly:

1. Check if AppImage support is enabled:

   ls /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/
   

2. Reinstall AppImage support:

   sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .#cursor-system
   

Permission Issues

If you encounter permission issues:

1. Ensure the user is in the correct groups:

   groups
   

2. Add user to additional groups if needed in configuration.nix

Update Cursor

To update to a newer version of Cursor:

1. Update the version number in home.nix
2. Update the download URL if needed
3. Update the SHA256 hash
4. Rebuild the system

File Structure

cursor-flake/
├── flake.nix                 # Main flake definition
├── configuration.nix         # NixOS system configuration
├── home.nix                  # Home Manager user configuration
├── hardware-configuration.nix # Hardware-specific settings
└── README.md                 # This file

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test the configuration
5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For issues and questions:

1. Check the troubleshooting section
2. Search existing issues
3. Create a new issue with detailed information

Acknowledgments

• Cursor team for the excellent AI-first editor
• NixOS community for the amazing package management system
• Home Manager for user configuration management