Elizabeth Lin – Prototyping with Cursor

Prototyping with Cursor by Elizabeth Lin shows designers and non-developers how to turn static designs into interactive prototypes using AI-assisted workflows. The course covers both creative experimentation and technical implementation, from a custom homepage to components based on a Figma design system.

Prototyping skills covered in Cursor

• Create interactive prototypes without writing code.
• Utilize AI tools to generate unique visual styles.
• Integrate real-world data sources into your projects.
• Publish prototypes online with a single command.
• Develop portfolio-worthy projects to showcase your skills.
• Join a supportive community for feedback and collaboration.

Course content and projects

The course is organized into 22 chapters, combining video lessons and written documentation with task-focused tutorials. Seven projects give learners opportunities to apply the workflows, including a personalized homepage and a functional piano interface.

Who can use these workflows

UX and UI designers can use the material to move from mockups to working prototypes, while product managers can create interactive demonstrations for testing concepts. The workflows also address non-technical creatives, people maintaining Figma design systems, and students or freelancers building work samples.

Coding experience is not a prerequisite. Familiarity with Figma or a comparable design tool is expected.

Two ways to work with Cursor

Creative exploration uses Cursor’s AI to experiment with visual styles, typography and prompts for new interface concepts. Examples include interactive art and a working piano interface built with language-model-generated code snippets.

Technical execution focuses on translating designs into functional components. It covers using Model Context Protocol (MCP) with a design system, connecting APIs, JSON feeds or CMS endpoints, and generating code that follows Figma designs closely.

Course curriculum

Foundations: getting started

Set up Cursor and the development environment, then learn Git basics for version control and collaborative prototyping.

Project 01: customize your homepage

Use creative prompts to shape a homepage’s layout, styling and animations. The project also covers connecting interactive elements such as buttons and menus without writing code manually.

Debugging and website deployment

The debugging lesson introduces ways to diagnose and resolve errors with browser developer tools and Cursor’s built-in debugger.

The deployment lesson covers publishing through Vercel with one command, as well as configuring custom domains, SSL and caching strategies.

Project 02: make a piano

Build a musical keyboard interface with language-model-generated event handlers. The workflow also covers audio APIs and managing state in Cursor.

Projects 03–07: advanced builds

The advanced project material moves into data-driven interfaces, multi-page functionality and refinements to make prototypes more usable.

• An e-commerce widget connected to live data feeds
• An interactive dashboard for real-time analytics
• A multi-page application with routing and state persistence
• Social sharing features and dynamic embeds
• Accessibility and performance optimizations

Videos, documentation and workspace materials

The downloadable materials include documents, PDFs and more than 10 hours of HD video tutorials. Written documentation contains embedded code snippets for practice, and the downloadable workspace includes starter Figma files, code templates and npm packages for the projects.

Frequently asked questions

What does Prototyping with Cursor cover?

The course covers Cursor setup, creative prompting, debugging, deployment and AI-assisted implementation. Its projects range from a personalized homepage and piano interface to more advanced builds with data, routing and accessibility considerations.

Who is the course for, and is coding experience required?

It is intended for designers, product managers, non-technical creatives, design system maintainers, students and freelancers. No prior coding experience is required, though familiarity with Figma or a similar design tool is expected.

What materials are included?

The downloadable course includes videos, documents and PDFs, along with written tutorials and embedded code snippets. The workspace materials include starter Figma files, code templates and npm packages.

Does the course cover publishing a prototype?

Yes. A deployment lesson covers publishing through Vercel and configuring custom domains, SSL and caching.