---
title: Cursor
description: Run Smithers from Cursor. Register the MCP server, add a project rule, and drive it headless with cursor-agent.
---

[Cursor](https://cursor.com/docs) extends through **MCP servers**, **rules**, and
the headless **`cursor-agent`** CLI. Smithers plugs into those surfaces; generated
CLI skill files can also be synced to `~/.agents/skills` for harnesses that read
that directory.

```bash
bunx smithers-orchestrator mcp add --agent cursor
```

That registers the MCP server. Reopen Cursor and the Smithers tools are
available in the Agent.

## Register the MCP server

`mcp add` writes the registration. To do it by hand, create
`.cursor/mcp.json` in the project (or `~/.cursor/mcp.json` for all projects).
Note Cursor uses the `mcpServers` key:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "smithers": {
      "command": "bunx",
      "args": ["smithers-orchestrator", "--mcp"]
    }
  }
}
```

The server exposes the semantic tools (`list_workflows`, `run_workflow`,
`watch_run`, `resolve_approval`, and the rest). See the
[MCP Server reference](/integrations/mcp-server).

## Optional generated skill files

`skills add` syncs generated Smithers CLI skill files into `~/.agents/skills`
globally, or `.agents/skills` with `--no-global`. Use this if your Cursor setup
bridges that directory into its skill context:

```bash
bunx smithers-orchestrator skills add
```

## Add a project rule

A rule keeps Smithers in context whenever someone works in `.smithers/`. Create
`.cursor/rules/smithers.mdc`:

```md
---
description: Use Smithers for durable, multi-step agent work
globs: .smithers/**/*
alwaysApply: false
---
Smithers is a durable control plane for long-running coding agents.
Run `bunx smithers-orchestrator starters` to list ready-made workflows.
```

Cursor also reads a plain `AGENTS.md` at the repo root as a simpler alternative,
the same file Codex and Copilot use.

## Headless: cursor-agent

`cursor-agent` runs Cursor's agent in the terminal and honors the same
`.cursor/` config, so the MCP server and rule above apply in CI. Any bridged
generated skill files can travel with the same setup:

```bash
cursor-agent chat "use Smithers to run the implement workflow on this ticket"
```

Because `cursor-agent` is a CLI, Smithers can also spawn it as a worker inside a
workflow via a [compute task that shells out](/integrations/integrations#pattern-3-run-an-external-cli-in-a-task);
there is no dedicated `CursorAgent` class yet.

## See also

- [MCP Server](/integrations/mcp-server): the full tool reference
- [Agent Support](/agents/overview): the cross-agent commands
