Neo on Cursor
Quick TL;DR
Neo brings specialized AI and ML engineering capabilities to Cursor, including data pipelines, experiment tracking, model deployment, and autonomous debugging, all on top of Cursor’s built-in AI coding features.
It’s the same extension as VS Code. Install it, open a project, and let Neo handle the ML infrastructure while Cursor handles the code.
Installing Neo on Cursor
Cursor is built on VS Code, so Neo installs the same way through the Extensions panel.
Open Extensions
Press Cmd+Shift+X (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows/Linux) to open the Extensions panel in Cursor.
Search and Install
Search for “Neo” by Neo Research Inc. and click Install.
Login
Open the Neo sidebar and sign in with your account to unlock all features.
Neo + Cursor AI: How They Work Together
Cursor already comes with powerful AI features like Composer, Chat, and Cmd+K inline edits. Neo doesn’t replace any of that. Instead, it adds a layer of domain-specific AI and ML engineering that Cursor’s general-purpose AI doesn’t cover.
| Cursor AI | Neo Extension | |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Code generation, refactoring, inline edits | ML pipelines, data ops, experiment tracking, environment debugging |
| Scope | Works on the file or selection you point it at | Runs autonomous multi-step tasks across your full project |
| Execution | Suggests code changes for you to accept | Runs scripts, installs dependencies, and executes terminal commands directly |
| Integrations | Git, codebase context | AWS S3, Weights & Biases, Hugging Face, Kaggle, and more |
| Data | Not designed for data workflows | Load, validate, and transform datasets locally or from the cloud |
Think of it this way: use Cursor AI to write the code, and use Neo to run the pipeline.
Example Workflow: Cursor + Neo Side by Side
Here’s what a typical ML development session looks like when both tools are active.
1. Write with Cursor
Use Composer or Cmd+K to scaffold a training script, write data loaders, or refactor model code.
2. Execute with Neo
Ask Neo to run the training pipeline, pull data from S3, install missing CUDA dependencies, and log metrics to W&B.
3. Auto-correct
Neo’s Auto Mode catches runtime errors, fixes environment issues, and re-runs automatically without any manual debugging.
4. Track and iterate
Review experiment logs, tweak hyperparameters in Cursor, and kick off the next run with Neo.
MCP Setup for Cursor
Neo also works as an MCP server, giving Cursor’s AI agent direct access to Neo’s tools like dataset operations, model management, and cloud integrations, right from the chat.
Open the config:
Cmd+Shift+J(Mac) orCtrl+Shift+J(Windows/Linux), then go to Tools & MCP and select New MCP Server- Or edit
~/.cursor/mcp.jsondirectly (restart Cursor after editing on disk)
{
"mcpServers": {
"neo": {
"command": "neo-mcp",
"env": { "NEO_SECRET_KEY": "sk-v1-YOUR_KEY" }
}
}
}Feature Parity with VS Code
Neo’s extension is the same codebase for both editors. Everything that works in VS Code works in Cursor.
| Feature | VS Code | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Extension install | ||
| Auto Mode | ||
| Sidebar and terminal | ||
| Multi-workspace support | ||
| Cloud integrations (S3, W&B, HF) | ||
| Encrypted credential vault | ||
| MCP server support |
FAQ
Does Neo conflict with Cursor’s built-in AI?
No. They serve different purposes. Cursor’s AI focuses on code generation and editing. Neo focuses on executing ML workflows, managing data, and automating infrastructure tasks. They run independently and complement each other.
Is the extension the same as the VS Code version?
Yes, it’s the exact same extension. Cursor supports the VS Code extension marketplace, so Neo installs and runs identically.
Can I use Neo MCP with Cursor’s agent mode?
Yes. Once you configure ~/.cursor/mcp.json, Cursor’s AI agent can call Neo’s tools directly to pull datasets, run pipelines, and manage cloud resources from the chat.
Do I need a separate Neo account for Cursor?
No. Your Neo account works across all supported editors including VS Code, Cursor, and Antigravity.