Different product shapes
GitHub Copilot is an assistant that plugs into editors many people already use. It is strong at inline suggestions and GitHub-connected workflows. Verified students can get Copilot through GitHub Education. Confirm current eligibility on GitHub’s docs, not a blog post.
Cursor is an AI-first editor built on a VS Code lineage: chat, inline edit, and agent-style loops over a real repo. The pitch is whole-project context, not only the next gray line of text.
How to choose
If switching editors would break your week, start with Copilot in your current IDE.
If you want AI-editor workflows and can spend an afternoon migrating, trial Cursor on a small repo you already understand.
Compare on: price after any education discounts you actually qualify for, how it handles your language stack, and whether suggestions match your style guide.
Do not outsource understanding
Ask the tool to explain the diff before you commit. In interviews you cannot point at gray ghost text.
Keep commits small. Agent refactors that touch twenty files are hard to defend in review.
FAQ
Is Copilot enough?
For many day-to-day workflows, yes. Cursor is optional power, not a moral requirement.
What about Windsurf or Claude Code?
Same category: AI helps you ship in a real repo. Trial one tool at a time on a known project so you can tell signal from novelty.