CHALLENGE 1: Build a Mini App with Cursor

Level: Beginner

Build a small working app from scratch with Cursor scaffolding and debugging alongside you. Always check cursor.com/docs for the latest.

What are we building?

Something small but real — a to-do list, a tip calculator, a weather lookup. You’ll go from a blank file to a running app, with Cursor writing boilerplate and helping you fix errors as they pop up. The goal is to feel how fast you can move with an AI pair.

How it works

1. Go to cursor.com and click Download (it auto-detects your OS).
2. Pick a tiny idea — keep the scope small so you can finish.
3. Let Cursor scaffold it — describe the app and let the AI generate the starting code.
4. Iterate and debug — run it, hit an error, ask Cursor to fix it, repeat.

Steps

1. Open the Cursor Desktop App and select New Chat.
2. In the dropdown menu above the chat window, select New Folder to create a new project folder.
   • Optional: Open an existing project folder from the dropdown menu.
   • Recommended: Open the IDE and open the side chat for a new agent.
3. Describe your app, e.g., “Build a simple tip calculator as a single HTML page with a little JavaScript.”
4. Let Cursor generate the files. Run it (open the HTML file in your browser, or run the script).
5. Hit a bug or want a change? Ask Cursor: “The total isn’t updating when I change the tip percent — fix it” or “Add a dark mode toggle.”
6. Repeat until it works the way you want.

What to Submit

• Link us to your repo (or a screenshot of it running)
• Two sentences on what Cursor helped you create