May 7, 2026 · 5 min read

# How to Use CCE with Cursor

Set up Code Context Engine in Cursor. Works alongside built-in indexing. One command, no conflicts.

## Why add CCE to Cursor?

Cursor has built-in code indexing. So why add CCE? Three reasons:

- Cross-session memory. Cursor starts fresh every session. CCE remembers decisions, architectural context, and code areas across sessions.
- Token savings tracking. Cursor doesn't tell you how many tokens it used. CCE tracks every query with dollar amounts.
- Multi-editor portability. If you also use Claude Code, VS Code, or Gemini CLI, CCE's index follows you. Cursor's doesn't.

CCE does not replace Cursor's indexing. They run side by side. Cursor's built-in features (tab completion, inline edits, apply) still use its own index. CCE adds MCP-based semantic search on top.

## Setup (2 minutes)

1

Install CCE

    uv tool install code-context-engine

Or `pipx install code-context-engine`. Requires Python 3.11+.

2

Initialize in your project

    cd /path/to/your/project
    cce init

CCE auto-detects Cursor and writes `.cursor/mcp.json` plus `.cursorrules` with search instructions.

3

Restart Cursor

That's it. Cursor now has access to CCE's 9 MCP tools. The AI will use `context_search` automatically when exploring your code.

## What gets created

File | Purpose
--- | ---
`.cursor/mcp.json` | Registers CCE as an MCP server
`.cursorrules` | Tells Cursor's AI to use context_search instead of reading files
`.gitignore` | CCE entries added (local cache, settings)

## Verify it works

    cce search "your feature name"

If results come back with token counts, CCE is working. In Cursor, ask the AI any question about your codebase. It should call `context_search` instead of reading entire files.

## Check your savings

    cce savings

Shows tokens saved, dollar amounts, and per-layer breakdown. Run after a few Cursor sessions to see the impact.

## What CCE gives Cursor's AI

Tool | What it does
--- | ---
`context_search` | Semantic search across your codebase
`expand_chunk` | Get full source for a compressed result
`related_context` | Find imports, callers, dependencies
`session_recall` | Recall past decisions
`record_decision` | Save decisions for next session

## CCE vs Cursor indexing: what handles what

Feature | Cursor built-in | CCE
--- | --- | ---
Tab completion | Yes | No
Inline edits | Yes | No
Semantic code search | Yes | Yes (MCP)
Cross-session memory | No | Yes
Token savings tracking | No | Yes
Works in other editors | No | Yes (6 editors)
Code stays local | No (cloud) | Yes

## Troubleshooting

### Cursor doesn't use context_search

Check that `.cursor/mcp.json` exists and Cursor was restarted after `cce init`. Cursor needs a restart to pick up new MCP servers.

### Index seems stale

Git hooks reindex on every commit. If you haven't committed, run `cce index` manually. Or run `cce watch` in a separate terminal for real-time updates.

### Want to remove CCE

    cce uninstall

Removes all CCE files, config, hooks, and index data. Cursor's built-in indexing is unaffected.

### Try it now

One command. Works alongside Cursor's built-in indexing. No conflicts.

    uv tool install code-context-engine && cce init

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#Cursor #CursorAI #MCPServer #CodeContextEngine #SaveTokens #AICoding #DeveloperTools #CursorSetup