Integrate Claude Code into Cursor's Chat Panel

Cursor supports Claude Code as a sidebar extension, but positioning it in the chat panel section creates a unified AI coding experience.

Installation

Install Claude Code globally via Cursor’s integrated terminal (Cmd+J or Ctrl+J):

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

After installation, authenticate by running claude in the terminal. Connect either your Anthropic API key or Claude Max plan subscription.

Move Claude Code to Chat Panel

Once installed, the Claude Code extension adds an icon to Cursor’s interface.

Step 1: Configure Activity Bar

Open Cursor settings via Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) and set Activity Bar orientation to “vertical”.

Step 2: Open in Sidebar

Use Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) and search for:

Claude Code: Open in sidebar

Step 3: Drag to Chat Panel

Click and drag the Claude Code icon from the sidebar directly into the chat panel area where you want it positioned.

Key Features in Chat Section

Once positioned, Claude Code operates alongside Cursor’s native chat:

• Real-time context selection: Select code blocks and Claude Code automatically includes them in context
• Integrated diff viewer: Accept or reject changes directly within Cursor’s interface
• File references: Use @filename or drag-and-drop files/folders for precise context control
• Model switching: Toggle between Sonnet 4 (daily use) and Opus 4 (complex tasks) using /model command

Connection Management

Keep the IDE connected by typing /ide in Claude Code’s chat if the connection drops. A green circle indicates active connection.

Since Cursor is a VS Code fork, this integration works seamlessly with all Cursor features while giving you native access to Claude’s latest models.

Model Selection

Switch models based on task complexity:

Model	Best For	Speed
Sonnet 4	Daily coding tasks	Fast
Opus 4	Complex refactoring	Slower

Use /model command within Claude Code to switch between models.

Troubleshooting

Connection drops frequently:

• Check internet connectivity
• Run /ide to reconnect
• Restart the Claude Code extension

Extension not appearing:

• Verify installation with claude --version
• Reinstall with npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
• Restart Cursor completely

Chat panel positioning issues:

• Reset Cursor layout via View > Reset Layout
• Re-drag the extension icon to chat panel