Cursor + Render
Deploy and manage your Render apps from Cursor.
Cursor is an AI-powered code editor with built-in agent workflows. Paired with Render, it can inspect your running services, fetch logs, manage environment variables, create Render Postgres databases, and help ship apps without leaving your editor.
- Agent
- Cursor
- Start
cursor- Skills mode
- Agent-invoked
- Docs
- Open Cursor docs
Quick start
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Install Cursor from cursor.com.
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Install the Render Cursor plugin. In Cursor chat, run:
This is the preferred setup path for Cursor. The Render Cursor plugin installs Render skills, rules, commands, an agent, MCP config, and hooks for the full Render workflow.
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Add your Render API key. Generate an API key in your account settings, then add it to the plugin's MCP config. You can also use the manual config shown below.
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Install Render's official skills manually only if you aren't using the plugin:
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Open your project in Cursor.
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Set your Render workspace if you have multiple workspaces.
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Deploy a template. Try a prompt like "Deploy this project to Render and show me the Blueprint first."
Quick links
MCP configuration
Cursor reads MCP servers from ~/.cursor/mcp.json for global tools or .cursor/mcp.json for project-specific tools.
Edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json~/.cursor/mcp.jsonThe Render MCP server currently uses API-key authentication. Generate a key in your account settings and pass it as a Bearer token.
The prompts below can use a combination of MCP tools, Render skills, the Render CLI, and guided Dashboard or API steps.
Example prompts
Start with one of these prompts, then refine the plan with your agent.
Deploy this project to Render.
Check the deploy logs for the last failed deploy and fix the error.
Create a Render Postgres database and wire DATABASE_URL to my web service.
Set up a custom domain with SSL for app.example.com.
Render skills
Render's official skills give Cursor task-specific procedures for deploys, debugging, monitoring, databases, Blueprints, and more. They can combine MCP tools with local code edits, Dashboard or API guidance, and the Render CLI if it's installed.
Install skills
The Render Cursor plugin is the preferred way to install skills:
Use the standalone skills installer if you don't want the full plugin:
The standalone installer works without the Render CLI installed. It detects supported tools on your system and prompts you to select which skills to install.
Skills catalog
- render-deployDeploy applications to Render by analyzing codebases, generating render.yaml Blueprints, and providing Dashboard deeplinks.
- render-debugDebug failed Render deployments by analyzing logs, metrics, and database state.
- render-monitorMonitor Render services in real-time.
- render-blueprintsAuthors and validates render.yaml Blueprints for Render infrastructure.
- render-postgresSets up and optimizes Managed PostgreSQL on Render—connection strings (internal vs external), creation constraints, storage autoscaling, connection limits, high availability, read replicas, backups, and MCP inspection.
- render-keyvalueProvisions and configures Render Key Value (Redis-compatible Valkey 8) instances for caching, session storage, and job queues.
- render-workflowsSets up, develops, tests, and deploys Render Workflows.
- render-scalingScales Render services—configures autoscaling targets, chooses instance types, sets manual instance counts, and optimizes cost.
Common workflows
Deploy from the editor
- Ask Cursor to inspect the project and propose a Render deployment plan.
- Review the generated Blueprint or service settings.
- Let Cursor apply supported changes with MCP or the Render CLI, or have it guide you through Dashboard or API steps.
- Ask Cursor to watch the first deploy.
Debug a deploy failure
- Ask Cursor to fetch deploy logs from Render.
- Have it identify missing env vars, build errors, or port-binding issues.
- Apply the fix in code or supported service settings, then verify the next deploy.
Manage environment variables
- Ask Cursor to list current env vars for a service.
- Add or update values, marking secrets appropriately.
- Confirm a new deploy starts, or redeploy from the Render Dashboard if needed.
Tips for success
- Use project-level MCP config when a Render setup belongs to one repository.
- Use
${env:NAME}interpolation instead of hardcoding secrets inmcp.json. - Ask Cursor to explain infrastructure changes before applying them.
Community
Related agents
- Claude Code + RenderSet up Claude Code with Render MCP and Render skills for terminal-first deploys, debugging, and infrastructure changes.
- Codex + RenderConnect OpenAI Codex to Render so it can inspect services, read deploy logs, draft Blueprints, and manage deploy workflows from the CLI.
- OpenCode + RenderConfigure OpenCode with the Render plugin, MCP, and skills for an open-source terminal workflow that can debug, create services, and deploy.