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How to use the Cursor Agent Provider agent skill

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The add-cursor skill adds Cursor as an alternative agent engine for NanoClaw, so each chat group can run on Cursor's local Agent SDK instead of Claude only. This guide explains what the skill changes, how to install it, how to switch a group over, and what it needs before you start. It is written for readers who have not used agent skills before.

Cursor Agent Providernanocoai/nanoclaw · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Check your setup. Confirm you have a NanoClaw project, Node.js, pnpm and a Cursor account or API key. Update NanoClaw first if the install check reports that your core is too old.
  2. 2Get the skill files. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
  3. 3Run the provider install. From the NanoClaw project root, run the provider-auth command for Cursor. It copies the payload, updates the barrels, pins the SDK, rebuilds and starts the sign-in walk-through.
  4. 4Complete sign-in. Follow the walk-through to store your Cursor sign-in or API key in the credential gateway. Do not paste the key into chat.
  5. 5Find your group IDs. Run ncl groups list and note the ID of each group you want to move to Cursor.
  6. 6Switch the group. Run ncl groups config update with the group ID and --provider cursor, then restart the group.
  7. 7Test a request. Send a normal request in that group and check that the reply comes from the Cursor-backed agent. Switch back with REMOVE.md steps if it does not work.

What the add-cursor skill does

Agent skills are folders of instructions and files that an AI coding agent loads so it can do a specific job. This skill teaches NanoClaw to use Cursor as a full agent provider. A provider is the backend that does the planning, tool use and replies for a group.

Once installed, a group configured with the Cursor provider runs its agent through Cursor's local SDK inside the group's container. The source lists planning, tool orchestration, MCP tools and session resume. Session resume uses a Cursor agent ID as the continuation.

The skill is per group. Other groups can stay on Claude, so you can compare backends inside the same NanoClaw setup.

What you need before installing

The source lists these requirements: a NanoClaw core that supports the required host contract and credential-connection seam, Node.js and pnpm for setup and the image rebuild, the @cursor/sdk package pinned in the agent-runner tree, and either a Cursor account or a Cursor API key.

The install checks compatibility first. If the check reports that your core is too old, the install stops before changing any files, and the source says to run /update-nanoclaw first.

  • NanoClaw core with the required host contract and credential-connection seam
  • Node.js and pnpm
  • A Cursor account or Cursor API key
  • Permission to rebuild container images, because the install changes barrel files and pins a dependency

Install the skill

To install from this directory, download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. Put the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ to make it available across projects, or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder to limit it to that project. You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

The skill's own shortcut performs the full install, including payload files, barrels, the SDK pin, the image rebuild and sign-in. Run it from the NanoClaw project root.

If you prefer to apply the steps yourself, the SKILL.md file lists them: copy the payload files, append one import to each of five barrel files, pin @cursor/sdk in the agent-runner tree, run the build and tests, then complete the auth walk-through. Every directive is designed to be safe to re-run.

pnpm exec tsx setup/index.ts --step provider-auth cursor

Switch a group to Cursor

Each group's provider is stored in its container configuration, and the default is claude. Use the ncl command to set a group to Cursor. Replace the group ID with your own. The restart command applies the change to a running group.

If the group's config also sets a Cursor model, the source says a model the new provider accepts must be given when you switch back, because Claude cannot run a Cursor model name.

  • Run ncl groups list to find the group IDs
  • Run the update command for the group you want to change
  • Restart the group so the new provider takes effect
ncl groups config update --id <group-id> --provider cursor

Keep your Cursor credentials safe

Your Cursor sign-in or API key is held by the credential gateway selected by NANOCLAW_GATEWAY_PROVIDER. The container never receives the real key. It only sees a placeholder value, which the SDK sends as a bearer header.

Setup stores the key for two specific routes: the token exchange path on api2.cursor.sh and the model discovery path on api.cursor.com. The source says a payload test proves that every request of a real SDK run passes through the gateway proxy carrying only the placeholder. Never paste a key into chat.

Safety notes: scripts and network access

The source marks this skill as running scripts and using the network. The install runs setup commands and rebuilds container images, and the running provider talks to Cursor's services. Read the file list in the skill before installing, and review the diff afterwards.

The skill does not use a Cursor CLI binary. It calls @cursor/sdk, and it avoids adding that package to the host pnpm workspace. Cloud agents are a different product that runs on Cursor's own machines, and this skill does not provide them.

  • Install only into a NanoClaw project you control
  • Confirm your core is supported before running the install
  • Keep the gateway credentials out of chat logs and shared files

Remove the provider or switch back

The REMOVE.md file in the skill reverses the changes and returns every group to the default provider. It is safe to run on a partial install. Each group's memory folder stays on disk, and the source points to a migration guide if you want memory moved back to Claude.

If the .env file sets the default provider to cursor, change it back to claude or another installed provider so new groups do not start on Cursor.

ncl groups config update --id <group-id> --provider claude

What people use it for

  • Run a research or coding group on Cursor while your main group stays on Claude
  • Compare how two agent backends plan and use tools on the same kinds of requests
  • Reuse an existing Cursor account for local agent runs inside NanoClaw
  • Keep a group's memory on disk while testing a different provider

Frequently asked questions

Is the Cursor Agent Provider skill free?

The skill is listed under the MIT licence. The source does not give prices for Cursor accounts or API usage, so check Cursor's own pricing for those costs.

What do I need to install the add-cursor skill?

You need a NanoClaw core that supports the required host contract and credential-connection seam, Node.js and pnpm, and a Cursor account or Cursor API key. The install stops if the core is too old, and the source says to run /update-nanoclaw first.

Is this the same as using Cursor cloud agents?

No. The source says cloud agents run on Cursor's virtual machines and are not this provider. This skill runs Cursor's local Agent SDK inside a NanoClaw group's container.

How do I switch one NanoClaw group to Cursor?

Find the group ID with ncl groups list, then run ncl groups config update with --id set to that group and --provider set to cursor. Restart the group afterwards so the change applies.

Where does my Cursor API key go?

It is stored in the credential gateway, not in the container. The container only sees a placeholder value. The source says never to put a key in chat.

How do I undo the install?

Follow REMOVE.md in the skill. It switches cursor groups back to the default provider and is safe to run on a partial install. Group memory stays on disk.

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Our verdict

Choose this skill if you run NanoClaw and want some groups to use Cursor's agent while others stay on Claude, or if you want to compare agent backends in one setup. Pick something else if you only want Cursor's cloud agents, or if you are not comfortable with an install that rebuilds images and changes project dependencies.

Download the skill