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Takiuddin Ahmed
Takiuddin Ahmed

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Keep Cursor IDE Updated Automatically on Linux with cursor-updater

#linux #bash #productivity #devtools

If you use Cursor IDE on Linux, you’ve probably noticed that updates aren’t exactly smooth. Cursor ships as an AppImage, which means updates usually involve downloading a new file and replacing the old one manually.

I built cursor-updater, a small, reliable Linux updater that keeps Cursor up to date automatically using Cursor’s official download API.

This post explains why it exists, how it works, and how to set it up in minutes.

The Problem

Cursor IDE works great on Linux, but updating it usually means:

  1. Manually checking for a new version
  2. Downloading a new AppImage
  3. Replacing the old file
  4. Fixing permissions
  5. Updating symlinks

That’s fine once or twice—but annoying if you use Cursor daily and want to stay current.

The Solution

cursor-updater is a simple Bash-based updater that:

  • ✅ Fetches the latest Cursor release via the official API
  • ✅ Downloads and installs the AppImage automatically
  • ✅ Creates timestamped backups before updating
  • ✅ Manages symlinks cleanly
  • ✅ Supports stable and insiders tracks
  • ✅ Can run automatically using systemd timers

No GUI. No Electron wrapper. Just a tool that does one job well.

Quick Start

One-Line Install 

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/takiuddinahmed/cursor-updater/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
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This will:

  • Install update-cursor to /usr/local/bin
  • Optionally install a systemd service + timer for auto-updates

Manual Install

If you prefer inspecting the code first:

git clone https://github.com/takiuddinahmed/cursor-updater.git
cd cursor-updater
./scripts/install.sh
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Usage

Manual Update

Update to the latest stable release:

sudo update-cursor
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Update to the insiders track:

sudo update-cursor insiders
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What happens internally:

  1. Detects CPU architecture (x86_64 or ARM64)
  2. Calls Cursor’s official download API
  3. Resolves the correct AppImage URL
  4. Creates a timestamped backup
  5. Installs the new AppImage to /opt/cursor/
  6. Updates /usr/local/bin/cursor symlink

Automatic Updates (systemd)

Enable daily updates:

sudo systemctl enable --now cursor-update.timer
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Check timer status:

systemctl status cursor-update.timer
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View logs:

journalctl -u cursor-update.service
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Want weekly updates instead?
Edit:

/etc/systemd/system/cursor-update.timer
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Change:

OnCalendar=daily
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to:

OnCalendar=weekly
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How It Works (Simplified)

At its core, the updater:

  • Detects platform
  • Queries Cursor’s download API
  • Parses the JSON response
  • Downloads the AppImage safely
  • Replaces the existing installation with a backup

Core logic excerpt:

ARCH="$(uname -m)"
case "$ARCH" in
  x86_64) PLATFORM="linux-x64" ;;
  aarch64|arm64) PLATFORM="linux-arm64" ;;
esac

API_URL="https://www.cursor.com/api/download?platform=${PLATFORM}&releaseTrack=${TRACK}"
JSON="$(curl -fsSL --retry 5 "$API_URL")"

DOWNLOAD_URL="$(parse_json "$JSON")"
curl -fL -o "$TMP_APP" "$DOWNLOAD_URL"
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JSON Parsing Note

  • Uses python3 if available (recommended)
  • Falls back to sed/grep for minimal systems
  • Includes validation so empty or invalid API responses fail safely

Features

  • Zero config after install
  • Automatic backups with timestamps
  • Stable & insiders support
  • x86_64 + ARM64 support
  • systemd timer integration
  • Clear error messages and retries
  • Minimal dependencies (curl, optional python3)

File Locations

  • Updater: /usr/local/bin/update-cursor
  • AppImage: /opt/cursor/cursor.AppImage
  • Symlink: /usr/local/bin/cursor
  • systemd units: /etc/systemd/system/cursor-update.{service,timer}

Uninstall 

./scripts/uninstall.sh
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This removes the updater and optionally disables the timer.

Why I Built This

I use Cursor daily on Arch Linux. Manually updating an AppImage every few weeks breaks flow—and eventually gets skipped.

I wanted something:

  • predictable
  • transparent
  • easy to audit
  • friendly to Linux conventions

So I built cursor-updater. Nothing fancy. Just reliable.

Contributing

Issues, pull requests, and ideas are welcome:
👉 https://github.com/takiuddinahmed/cursor-updater

Contact

Github: https://github.com/takiuddinahmed
Website: https://takiuddin.me
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/takiuddin-ahmed-871607b5

Final Thoughts

If you want Cursor updates to behave more like a package manager—without waiting for official distro support—this tool does exactly that.

Install it once. Forget about updates.

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