Ralph Workflow vs Cursor: AI Editor vs Autonomous Coding Workflow

Cursor is an AI-first code editor built for pair programming. Ralph Workflow is a free open-source composable loop framework for autonomous coding runs that aims to end in finished, tested code you can actually review.

They are different tools targeting different workflows — but they both have a legitimate place in an AI-assisted development setup.

At a Glance

| Ralph Workflow | Cursor
What it is | Operating system for autonomous coding: free open-source composable loop framework and AI orchestrator | The AI code editor built for pair programming with AI
License | AGPL (source) / CC0 (outputs) | Free tier / $20/mo Pro
Setup | TOML config files, no cloud required | Desktop app
Vendor lock-in | None — own your config | Yes
Primary use case | Unattended coding runs with a reviewable finish | Interactive AI-assisted coding in an AI-first editor

Key Differences

Cursor is an editor — you are in it, driving the session, using tab autocomplete, the composer, and context-aware suggestions. Ralph Workflow is a workflow system — you define the task, walk away, and come back to a result.

Ralph Workflow is the better choice when you want:

A structured loop you can run unattended

Multi-phase workflows: planning, development, verification, follow-up

Cost control via model routing across task phases

A free, open-source system you control completely

Cursor is the better choice when you want:

An AI-first editing experience in a full IDE

Tab autocomplete and inline code generation

Composer for multi-file changes

Context-aware AI suggestions as you code

Feature Comparison

Feature | Ralph Workflow | Cursor
Multi-agent orchestration | ✅ | ❌
Claude Code integration | ✅ | ❌
OpenCode / Codex integration | ✅ | ❌
Cost model routing | ✅ | ❌
Unattended execution | ✅ (built for it) | ⚠️ (interactive-first)
Policy-defined config (TOML) | ✅ | ❌
Checkpoint / resume | ✅ | ⚠️
MCP support | ✅ | ⚠️
Parallel work units | ✅ | ❌
Open source | ✅ | ✅
Self-hosted | ✅ | ⚠️

The Real Distinction

Cursor is where you code interactively with AI assistance. Ralph Workflow is where you hand off a coding task and trust it to finish.

The interesting question is not which one wins — it is how they fit together. You might use Cursor for exploratory coding and prototyping, then use Ralph Workflow to operationalize the result: run it unattended, verify the output, and package it into something reviewable.

When You'd Use Both Together

The most natural pairing: use Cursor for exploration and prototyping, then hand off to Ralph Workflow for operationalization. Cursor's AI-first editing experience is excellent when you're feeling out a problem, experimenting with approaches, or making surgical changes across files with the composer — the kind of work that benefits from real-time human judgment.

Once the direction is clear and the task is well-defined, hand the baton to Ralph Workflow. Write the PROMPT.md based on what you learned in Cursor, run the unattended workflow, and come back to a verified result. Cursor explores. Ralph Workflow executes.

Try Ralph Workflow

pipx install ralph-workflow
cd /path/to/your/project
ralph --init
$EDITOR PROMPT.md # write your task
ralph # walk away

Ralph Workflow runs on your own machine. It works with Claude Code, Codex, and OpenCode. The default workflow handles planning, development, verification, and follow-up — or you can compose your own.

Install guide → · Quick start → · Primary Codeberg repo → · GitHub mirror: github.com/Ralph-Workflow/Ralph-Workflow