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How to Install Cursor Server Manually

This guide provides detailed instructions for manually installing and configuring the Cursor server. This approach is useful for custom deployments, air-gapped environments, or when you need specific configurations not available in the standard installation.

Prerequisites​

Before starting the manual installation, ensure you have:

  • Administrator/root access to the target system
  • Node.js 16.x or later installed
  • Git installed
  • At least 4GB of available RAM
  • 2GB of free disk space

Installation Steps​

1. Clone the Repository​

git clone https://github.com/getcursor/cursor-server.git
cd cursor-server

2. Install Dependencies​

npm install
# or if you prefer yarn
yarn install

3. Configure Environment Variables​

Create a .env file in the root directory:

touch .env

Add the following configurations:

PORT=3000
HOST=localhost
NODE_ENV=production
LOG_LEVEL=info
MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE=60

4. Build the Server​

npm run build
# or
yarn build

Server Configuration​

Basic Configuration​

The server can be configured through environment variables or a configuration file:

// config.ts
export default {
  server: {
    port: process.env.PORT || 3000,
    host: process.env.HOST || 'localhost',
    cors: {
      origin: '*',
      methods: ['GET', 'POST']
    }
  },
  security: {
    rateLimit: {
      windowMs: 60 * 1000, // 1 minute
      max: process.env.MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE || 60
    }
  }
}

Advanced Configuration​

For advanced use cases, you can modify:

  1. Authentication settings
  2. Rate limiting
  3. CORS policies
  4. Logging levels
  5. Cache configuration

Running the Server​

Development Mode​

npm run dev
# or
yarn dev

Production Mode​

npm run start
# or
yarn start
npm install -g pm2
pm2 start npm --name "cursor-server" -- start

Security Considerations​

  1. API Authentication

    • Implement API key authentication
    • Use HTTPS in production
    • Configure proper CORS settings

  2. Rate Limiting

    • Set appropriate request limits
    • Implement IP-based throttling
    • Monitor for abuse

  3. Access Control

    • Restrict server access by IP
    • Use firewall rules
    • Implement role-based access

Monitoring and Maintenance​

Health Checks​

Implement health check endpoints:

app.get('/health', (req, res) => {
  res.status(200).json({
    status: 'healthy',
    timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
    version: process.env.npm_package_version
  });
});

Logging​

Configure logging for troubleshooting:

import winston from 'winston';

const logger = winston.createLogger({
  level: process.env.LOG_LEVEL || 'info',
  format: winston.format.json(),
  transports: [
    new winston.transports.File({ filename: 'error.log', level: 'error' }),
    new winston.transports.File({ filename: 'combined.log' })
  ]
});

Troubleshooting​

Common issues and solutions:

Connection Refused​

If you encounter connection refused errors:

  1. Verify the port is not in use
  2. Check firewall settings
  3. Ensure correct host configuration

Memory Issues​

If the server runs out of memory:

  1. Increase Node.js heap size
  2. Monitor memory usage
  3. Implement garbage collection

Performance Optimization​

Tips for optimal performance:

  1. Caching

    • Implement Redis for caching
    • Use memory caching where appropriate
    • Cache frequently accessed data

  2. Database Optimization

    • Index frequently queried fields
    • Optimize query patterns
    • Use connection pooling

  3. Load Balancing

    • Set up multiple server instances
    • Use a load balancer
    • Implement horizontal scaling
  • Server Configuration
  • API Guide
  • Security Settings

Conclusion​

Manual installation of the Cursor server provides greater control and customization options. While it requires more setup effort, it allows for specific configurations and optimizations based on your needs.

  • Cursor Server Security Guide
  • Server Performance Tuning
  • Custom Server Configurations