Two weeks ago, Cursor felt like magic. You'd describe what you wanted, and boom—it just worked. Building your app was fun. Every day you'd add something new and it all clicked together perfectly.
Then something changed. Now when you ask Cursor to add a feature, it breaks something else. You ask it to fix a button, and suddenly your login stops working. You're spending more time fixing mistakes than actually building.
You're probably wondering: Is Cursor broken? Did I mess something up? Should I start over?
Here's the truth: None of those things. Your app just got real. And that's actually a good sign.
This Happens to Everyone #
Talk to anyone who's built an app with Cursor. They all tell the same story:
| Timeline | What You Experience |
|---|---|
| Week 1-2 | "This is incredible! Cursor understands everything!" ✨ |
| Week 3-4 | "Still great. A few small hiccups but nothing major." ✓ |
| Week 5+ | "Wait, why did changing the homepage break my settings page?" ⚠️ |
That third moment—when Cursor starts breaking things—isn't random. It happens when your app crosses from "simple project" to "real app with lots of moving parts."
Why This Happens (The Simple Version) #
When your app is brand new, there's not much to keep track of. Cursor can see your whole project and understand how everything works together.
But as you build more features:
- Your login page connects to your database
- Your database connects to your user settings
- Your settings connect to your payment system
- Your payment system connects back to your homepage
All these connections make sense to you—you built them! But Cursor? Cursor starts losing track.
Think of it like this: Imagine trying to follow a conversation with one friend. Easy. Now imagine trying to follow conversations with twenty friends at once. Harder, right? You'd probably miss things or get confused about who said what.
That's what happens to Cursor when your app grows. It's not broken. It's just trying to track too many pieces at once, without a way to see how they all fit together.
Is This Your Fault? #
No.
You didn't do anything wrong. You're actually doing something right—you're building a real app, not just a simple demo. Real apps have multiple features that connect to each other. That's what makes them useful!
Is Cursor Broken? #
Also no.
Cursor is still the same amazing tool it was two weeks ago. The problem isn't Cursor—every AI coding tool hits this same wall. Claude Code, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot... they all struggle when apps get complicated.
Quick Things to Try First #
Before we get to the real fix, here are some quick things that might help right now:
💡 Quick Fix #1: Start a Fresh Chat
Sometimes Cursor gets confused by a long conversation. Close the current chat and start a new one. Explain what you're trying to do from scratch.
💡 Quick Fix #2: Be Super Specific
Instead of saying "fix the login," try "update the login button on the homepage to be blue, and don't change anything else."
💡 Quick Fix #3: Make Smaller Changes
Instead of asking Cursor to "add user profiles with photos, bio, and settings," break it into three separate requests. Do one thing at a time, test it, then move to the next.
⚠️ Important: These tricks help sometimes. But they're band-aids. They don't fix the real problem.
What Actually Fixes It #
Here's what's actually happening: Cursor lost its map of your app.
When your app was simple, Cursor didn't need a map. Now that it's complicated, Cursor needs help remembering:
- What each part of your app does
- How different features connect
- What you're trying to build
- What should stay the same vs what should change
Once Cursor has this map again, it goes back to working like it did at the beginning. No more breaking random things. No more unexpected changes. Just clean, accurate updates.
How Giga Gives Cursor Its Map Back #
This is exactly why we built Giga. We kept hearing the same story: "Cursor was perfect, then it stopped working."
Giga solves this by creating a map of your app that Cursor can always reference. Here's how it works:
What Giga Does #
Scans Your Project: Giga looks through your app and figures out what everything does and how it connects.
Creates a Guide for AI: It writes down "rules" about your app in a way Cursor understands. Things like:
- Your app has a login system that connects to your database
- When you change the homepage, don't touch the payment code
- Your settings page depends on the user profile
- These three files work together and shouldn't be separated
Keeps It Updated: As you keep building, Giga updates the map automatically. Cursor always has current information.
What This Means for You #
With Giga running alongside Cursor:
- Cursor stops breaking working features
- Changes happen exactly where you want them
- Your app keeps growing without the chaos
- Building feels like it did at the beginning
How to Set This Up #
Step 1: Install Giga #
Takes about 2 minutes. Works with Cursor, Claude Code, and most AI tools.
Step 2: Point it at Your App #
Tell Giga where your project files are. It'll scan everything and build the map.
Step 3: Keep Building #
That's it. Giga runs in the background. Cursor now has its map and won't get confused.
What Changes After You Fix This #
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| 😰 Scared to ask Cursor for changes | ✅ Confident asking Cursor to build features |
| 💔 Every feature breaks something else | ✅ Changes happen cleanly |
| ⏰ Spending hours fixing AI mistakes | ✅ Building is fun again |
| 🤔 Questioning whether to keep going | ✅ Your app keeps growing |
Questions People Ask #
Will this happen again as my app gets even bigger? #
No. With Giga, Cursor keeps working even as your app grows to dozens or hundreds of features. The map updates automatically.
Do I have to explain my app to Giga? #
Nope. Giga figures it out automatically by reading your project files. You don't have to write anything or explain anything.
Will Giga slow down Cursor? #
No. Giga works in the background. Cursor feels exactly the same—just more accurate.
Can I just write better prompts instead? #
You can try, but you'll exhaust yourself. Getting super detailed with every single prompt takes longer than just writing the code yourself. Giga makes normal prompts work correctly.
If you want to see what extremely detailed prompting looks like, we have a guide on the prompt method for debugging, but honestly most people find it's too much work.
Is this admitting my app is too complicated? #
This is admitting your app is real. Simple demos don't need maps. Real apps with actual features do. This is a milestone, not a problem.
Does this work with Claude Code too? #
Yes! Giga works with Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, VS Code, and most AI coding tools. Same fix for all of them. We actually have a specific guide for when Claude and Cursor break your app if you're using both.
Why This Matters #
You started building with AI because you had an idea and wanted to make it real. You weren't going to let "not knowing how to code" stop you.
And it worked! Cursor helped you build real features. Your app started taking shape. People could use it.
But then Cursor started getting in the way instead of helping. That's not the end of your journey—it's just a bump that everyone hits.
The builders who succeed past this point are the ones who realize: AI tools are amazing, but they need help tracking complicated projects. Add that help (Giga), and you're back to building.
Don't let this wall stop you. You've already proven you can build. Now just give your AI tools the map they need to keep helping.
What to Do Right Now #
If you're frustrated with Cursor breaking things, here's what to do:
-
Stop trying to work around it. Super detailed prompts and tiny changes are exhausting.
-
Add the map layer. Install Giga, let it scan your project, keep building.
-
Get back to building. Once Cursor has its map, you can focus on your app instead of managing AI confusion.
You're building something real. Don't stop now.