Cursor Pro CLI — Headless Mode Research¶
Date: 2026-03-19 Status: Research Complete — Ready for Install Source: Cursor docs, web research
Key Findings¶
- Cursor CLI supports full headless/non-interactive mode via
agent -p(print mode) - Supports
--force/--yolofor file modifications without confirmation - Supports
--output-format jsonand--output-format stream-jsonfor structured/streaming output - Agent modes: Plan and Ask, plus cloud handoff for background tasks (Jan 2026 update)
- Auth:
CURSOR_API_KEYenv var for scripts - Install:
curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash
Models Available via Cursor Pro ($20/mo)¶
Cursor has TWO usage pools: 1. Auto + Composer pool — Cursor's own routing at $1.25/1M input, $6/1M output 2. API pool — $20 included monthly credit for manually selecting models
Models in API Pool (prices per 1M tokens):¶
| Model | Input | Output | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude 4.6 Sonnet | $3 | $15 | Requires Max Mode |
| Claude 4.6 Opus | $5 | $25 | Requires Max Mode |
| Claude 4.5 Haiku | $1 | $5 | |
| GPT-5 | $1.25 | $10 | |
| GPT-5.1 Codex | $1.25 | $10 | |
| GPT-5.1 Codex Mini | $0.25 | $2 | 4x rate limits |
| Gemini 3.1 Pro | $2 | $12 | |
| Gemini 3 Flash | $0.5 | $3 | |
| Composer 2 | $0.5 | $2.5 | Cursor's model |
Integration with OpenClaw¶
- Can be called headlessly from Mac mini terminal
- JSON output mode allows parsing results programmatically
- Could slot into coding-agent skill as another backend
- $20 included API credit per month — offsets direct API spend on coding tasks
- Auto mode is cheapest for bulk work
Known Issues¶
- Bug report from Jan 2026:
agent -phangs indefinitely in some cases - Needs real-world testing before production integration
Next Steps¶
- Install Cursor CLI:
curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash - Test headless mode with a simple coding task
- Evaluate reliability before integrating into coding-agent skill