Cursor vs Devin Desktop — Feature Comparison
Quick answer: Cursor supports 14 of 18 tracked features; Devin Desktop supports 18 of 18. Matrix last updated August 25, 2026.
Verdict: Cursor vs Devin Desktop
Devin Desktop edges ahead for most developers due to its broader feature coverage and significantly higher release cadence, but Cursor remains a compelling choice for teams already invested in its ecosystem. Devin Desktop supports all 18 tracked features compared to Cursor's 15, with the three gaps — MCP Server support, JetBrains IDE integration, and Vim/Neovim compatibility — representing meaningful workflow advantages for large segments of the developer population. Beyond feature breadth, Devin Desktop's release velocity is notably higher, with 130 total tracked releases and 18 in the recent 90-day window versus Cursor's 21 total and 9 in the same period, suggesting a faster iteration cycle and more frequent refinement. That said, Cursor is no laggard: 9 releases in 90 days reflects a healthy cadence, and its 15/18 feature score means the vast majority of developers will find it fully capable for day-to-day AI-assisted coding. The practical gap narrows considerably for teams that live exclusively in VS Code-compatible environments and have no need for JetBrains or terminal-native Vim workflows. Ultimately, the decision hinges less on raw quality and more on environment fit: Devin Desktop's wider IDE and tooling surface makes it the safer default for diverse or polyglot teams, while Cursor's tighter, well-maintained feature set suits developers working in a focused, VS Code-centric stack.
Choose Cursor if: Choose Cursor if your team works primarily in a VS Code-based environment and values a stable, actively maintained tool without needing JetBrains or Vim/Neovim integration.
Choose Devin Desktop if: Choose Devin Desktop if you need maximum IDE flexibility — especially JetBrains support or Vim/Neovim compatibility — or want MCP Server integration and the fastest-moving release cadence across the two tools.
Key differences
- Devin Desktop covers all 18 tracked features; Cursor covers 15, missing MCP Server, JetBrains, and Vim/Neovim support
- Devin Desktop has a substantially higher release cadence (130 total releases, 18 recent) versus Cursor (21 total, 9 recent), indicating faster iteration
- Cursor is purpose-built around a VS Code-style experience, while Devin Desktop targets a broader range of editors and developer environments
- Both tools are actively developed, but Devin Desktop's feature completeness makes it the lower-risk choice for diverse or multi-IDE engineering teams
At a glance
| Tool | Latest version | Release date | Releases tracked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | v3.11 | July 10, 2026 | 21 |
| Devin Desktop | v3.8.20 | August 21, 2026 | 133 |
Core Editing
Multi-file editing, streaming, undo capabilities
| Feature | Cursor | Devin Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-file Editing — Edit multiple files in a single operation | ✓ (Cursor's core functionality supports multi-file editing, evidenced by worktrees and multi-root workspace support in v3.2) | ✓ since 1.0.2 |
| Streaming Output — Real-time streaming of AI responses | ✓ (Standard AI coding assistant behavior; v3.11 side chats imply real-time response streaming) | ✓ since 3.8.20 |
| Undo/Redo — Ability to undo and redo changes | — | ✓ since 3.7.16 |
| Diff View — Visual comparison of changes | ✓ (Cursor's core editing workflow includes diff views for reviewing AI-proposed changes) | ✓ since 3.7.16 |
Terminal Integration
Shell and command execution support
| Feature | Cursor | Devin Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Command Execution — Run shell commands | ✓ since 1.6 | ✓ since 3.8.20 |
| Shell Integration — Integration with user shell environment | ✓ (Command execution and development environments in v3.4 imply shell integration) | ✓ since 1.13.3 |
| Background Tasks — Run tasks in background | ✓ since 2.5 | ✓ since 3.6.21 |
MCP Support
Model Context Protocol server and client capabilities
| Feature | Cursor | Devin Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| MCP Client — Connect to MCP servers | ✓ since 3.10 | ✓ since 3.8.20 |
| MCP Server — Expose as MCP server | — | ✓ since 3.7.25 |
| Custom Tools — Define and use custom tools | ✓ (v3.9 'Customize Cursor' and MCP support in v3.10 suggest custom tool definitions are supported) | ✓ since 3.7.16 |
IDE Integrations
VS Code, JetBrains, and other editor support
| Feature | Cursor | Devin Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| VS Code — Visual Studio Code integration | ✓ (Cursor is built on VS Code, making VS Code integration a core capability) | ✓ since 3.6.21 |
| JetBrains — IntelliJ/WebStorm integration | — | ✓ since 1.11.0 |
| Vim/Neovim — Vim or Neovim integration | — | ✓ since 1.12.31 |
| Web UI — Browser-based interface | ✓ since 1.7 | ✓ since 3.7.16 |
Agentic Features
Planning, tool use, and autonomous capabilities
| Feature | Cursor | Devin Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Planning Mode — Plan before executing changes | ✓ since 2.2 | ✓ since 3.8.20 |
| Autonomous Mode — Extended autonomous operation | ✓ since 3.8 | ✓ since 3.7.16 |
| Task Decomposition — Break complex tasks into steps | ✓ since 3.2 | ✓ since 2.2.17 |
| Context Management — Manage context across conversations | ✓ since 3.7 | ✓ since 3.6.21 |
Feature timeline: who shipped first
First release where Cursor and Devin Desktop each shipped a notable feature, and which tool led.
| Feature | Cursor | Devin Desktop | Who led |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Slash Commands | September 12, 2025 | May 6, 2025 | Devin Desktop first, 129d ahead |
| Subagents / Parallel Agents | January 22, 2026 | October 16, 2025 | Devin Desktop first, 98d ahead |
| MCP Support | March 3, 2026 | February 13, 2025 | Devin Desktop first, 383d ahead |
| Sandboxing / Permission Modes | February 17, 2026 | June 16, 2026 | Cursor first, 119d ahead |
| Planning Mode | September 29, 2025 | June 10, 2025 | Devin Desktop first, 111d ahead |
| Hooks | September 29, 2025 | December 10, 2025 | Cursor first, 72d ahead |
| Skills / Plugins | February 17, 2026 | January 12, 2026 | Devin Desktop first, 36d ahead |
| Project Memory Files | — | December 11, 2024 | only Devin Desktop |
| Extended Thinking | — | February 25, 2025 | only Devin Desktop |
| Background Tasks | April 24, 2026 | April 15, 2026 | Devin Desktop first, 9d ahead |
| Image / Vision Input | — | November 27, 2024 | only Devin Desktop |
| Headless / Non-interactive Mode | — | April 28, 2026 | only Devin Desktop |
| Voice Input | April 13, 2026 | July 17, 2025 | Devin Desktop first, 270d ahead |
| Web Search / Fetch | — | January 17, 2025 | only Devin Desktop |
| Git / PR Integration | — | April 2, 2025 | only Devin Desktop |
| JetBrains Support | — | November 13, 2024 | only Devin Desktop |
Release velocity
Havoptic tracks 21 Cursor releases and 133 Devin Desktop releases. See release frequency charts for side-by-side velocity analysis, or browse the Cursor changelog and Devin Desktop changelog.
Data source
Feature data is maintained in feature-matrix.json under a CC-BY-4.0 license. Release data comes from releases.json. Both are updated daily. See the methodology page for details on sourcing and human review.