Install in Cursor

Think of SayWhat as an editor for your instructions. You give it a rough request. It turns that request into a clear plan before Cursor starts coding.

1. Get your setup prompt

1. Open Cursor on the computer where you want to use SayWhat.
2. After buying SayWhat, open your setup email or visit Account → Setup.
3. Copy the full setup prompt, including the activation code. The prompt is a set of install instructions for your agent.

The activation code is like a one-use ticket. It connects this install to your license. If the code expires or has already been used, get a new one from your account.

2. Let Cursor run the setup

1. Open Agent chat in Cursor. Paste the full setup prompt and send it.
2. Let Cursor activate SayWhat and add the tools and instructions it needs. Review any requests to change your local settings.
3. Wait for SayWhat connected. The reply should include results for Adapter, Activation, Preflight, and Health check.

Setup saves a license token on your computer. Think of it as a key to your license. Keep it private. Do not put it in shared project files or public chats.

3. Know what setup adds

• Skill: a short instruction sheet that tells Cursor when to use SayWhat.
• MCP connection: a standard way for an AI agent to use a tool. Think of it as a cable between Cursor and SayWhat. The tool is called saywhat_preflight.
• Optional /saywhat command: a shortcut to ask for Preflight yourself.

The compiler at saywhat.foo prepares the plan. Cursor still does the coding. You get a short Preflight receipt that shows what SayWhat understood.

4. Check that it works

1. Reload Cursor after setup, then open a new Agent chat.
2. Ask: Run SayWhat Preflight for “add a hello comment” with targetAgent cursor. Show the receipt, but do not edit files.
3. Look for Foo on the same line as the compiler-calling sentence, a saywhat_preflight call, and a SayWhat.foo PreFlight receipt. On a normal coding request, this check should happen before Cursor changes files.

If you need to check the license, ask Cursor to call GET https://saywhat.foo/api/health/license with the saved token. It should report the result without showing the token.

If automatic setup fails

These steps are for a manual install. You can ask Cursor to help. You need Node.js and a local copy of the SayWhat source files. Replace each path below with the full path on your computer.

1. Activate the install by sending this request. Use a fresh code from your setup page:

   POST https://saywhat.foo/api/activate
   Content-Type: application/json
   
   {
     "activationCode": "<from email or /account/setup>",
     "adapter": "cursor",
     "installationName": "Cursor — your machine",
     "clientVersion": "cursor"
   }

2. Save the returned licenseToken privately. The service shows it only once.
3. Add this server to ~/.cursor/mcp.json, your personal tool settings file. Merge it with any existing servers. Replace the path and token placeholders:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "saywhat": {
         "command": "node",
         "args": ["<path-to-repo>/apps/cursor-plugin/mcp/server.mjs"],
         "env": {
           "SAYWHAT_API_URL": "https://saywhat.foo",
           "SAYWHAT_LICENSE_TOKEN": "<licenseToken>"
         }
       }
     }
   }

4. Install or link the skill and command from apps/cursor-plugin in the SayWhat source files. Then reload Cursor and repeat the check above.

Review a request in the extension

If you have the SayWhat Cursor extension installed, open the Command Palette and choose SayWhat: Run Preflight. The review panel lets you read the result before you use it.

Common problems

• Code expired or already used: get a new setup prompt from Account → Setup.
• Tool is missing: check that the SayWhat MCP server is enabled in Cursor settings, then reload. For a manual install, check Node.js and the server file path.
• Cursor skips Preflight: ask it to run saywhat_preflight directly, or use /saywhat if the command is installed. Check that the skill has loaded.
• Need to keep working: use the web compiler and paste its plan into Cursor.

Still stuck? Contact us with the step that failed and its error message. Leave out activation codes and license tokens.