# sitemd: the best way to build websites with Cursor

center:
![sitemd + cursor](/media/content/agents/sitemd+cursor.svg +height:300)
/center

# The best way to build websites with Cursor

sitemd is a **static site generator** / **website building toolkit** for AI code editors like Cursor.\n\nIt's a complete agent-driven framework with MCP server, dev server, skills, auto-attaching rules, guardrails, best practices, and one-line integrations for essentials like SEO, analytics, content generation, doc writing, user login, content gating, dynamic data + detail pages, and more.\n\nIt's a site-building superpower for agents in Cursor.

{#install}
## Install sitemd for Cursor

Scaffold a fresh sitemd project and open it in Cursor:

```bash
npx @sitemd-cc/sitemd init my-site
cd my-site
cursor .
```

The sitemd binary is fetched automatically as part of `npx init` (via the package's `postinstall` hook) — no separate install step. Cursor agent detects the sitemd project, picks up `.cursor/rules/`, `.cursor/skills/`, and `.cursor/mcp.json`, and you're building.

Already have a sitemd project on disk and want the Cursor marketplace integration? In Cursor, run:

```text
/add-plugin sitemd
```

Or search for **sitemd** in the [Cursor Marketplace](https://cursor.com/marketplace+newtab). That installs the MCP server, auto-attaching rules, and the full suite of sitemd skills — all configured automatically. The plugin alone does not install the sitemd binary — it expects you to already have a sitemd project on disk. Use `npx @sitemd-cc/sitemd init` above for a fresh start.

Plugin source: [.cursor/](https://github.com/sitemd-cc/sitemd/tree/main/.cursor+newtab) (`mcp.json`, `rules/`, `skills/`) on the public sitemd repo.

button: Install Now: /install +big +icon:download
button: Read the Docs: /docs +big +outline +icon:book-open

---

{#why}
## Why use sitemd with Cursor

Cursor is amazing at editing code, and any agent will already happily build websites in Cursor from scratch. Adding sitemd makes the process faster and reduces friction.

sitemd is a super-efficient toolkit for AI coding agents to build websites. It ships with:

- **A full suite of MCP tools** for pages, settings, content generation, SEO, deploy, auth, and more — agents in Cursor call them directly, no manual file editing required
- **A full suite of skills** in `.cursor/skills/` that map to the work Cursor is doing: `/write`, `/launch`, `/deploy`, `/seo`, `/kickstart`, `/clone`, and more
- **3 auto-attaching rules** in `.cursor/rules/` — `sitemd-project` (always on), `sitemd-pages` (auto-attaches when editing pages), `sitemd-settings` (auto-attaches when editing settings) — context loads when relevant, not all at once
- **A complete framework** under the hood: auth, gated content, forms, deploy targets, image handling, dynamic data, theming, premium modules — none of which you and your agent have to invent
- **Markdown all the way down** — every page, every setting, every navigation file is human-readable `.md`. Agents in Cursor read markdown natively, edit it confidently, and never have to reverse-engineer an external build system

---

{#scratch}
## Why not just prompt my agent to build a site from scratch?

sitemd is a site-building superpower for agents in Cursor. It helps agents in Cursor build a consistent working site quickly by skipping all the scaffolding that's already baked-in to sitemd. sitemd is still very flexible and customizable, so you can still build sites however you want. sitemd also ships with one-line integrations for essentials like SEO, analytics, content generation, doc writing, user login, content gating, dynamic data + detail pages, and more that would take considerable time for you and your agent to build from scratch.

---

{#out-of-the-box}
## What Cursor gets out of the box

- **A full suite of MCP tools** — page CRUD, content generation, SEO audit, deploy, auth, dynamic data, batch operations
- **A full suite of skills** — `/write`, `/launch`, `/deploy`, `/seo`, `/kickstart`, `/clone`, `/og-image`, `/import`, `/site`, `/feedback`, `/reload`, `/shutdown`, and more
- **3 auto-attaching rules** — `sitemd-project` (always on), `sitemd-pages` (loads when editing pages), `sitemd-settings` (loads when editing settings)
- **Auto-generated SEO** — Open Graph, JSON-LD, sitemap, robots.txt, llms.txt, OG images
- **Deploy targets** — Cloudflare Pages, Netlify, Vercel, GitHub Pages with one command
- **Auth providers** — Supabase, Firebase, Clerk, Auth0, custom API
- **Dynamic data** — Supabase, Firebase, Airtable, REST API with auto-generated detail pages
- **Forms, embeds, galleries, modals, gated content, theming, dark mode, i18n-friendly markdown**

---

{#first-site}
## Build your first site with Cursor

After install, in any Cursor session inside a sitemd project:

> "Build me a documentation site for my SaaS product"

Cursor agent calls `sitemd_status`, then `sitemd_site_context` to learn the conventions, then `sitemd_pages_create_batch` to scaffold pages, then `sitemd_content_validate` to check quality, then `sitemd_deploy` when you confirm. The auto-attaching rules surface the right syntax reference as pages are created. You watch the dev server preview update live.

You can also run a skill directly:

```text
/kickstart a portfolio site for a freelance designer named Mira
```

That spins up a complete first-draft site — pages, navigation, settings, theme, copy — from a single sentence.

---

{#faq}
## Cursor FAQ

**Does sitemd work with Cursor's plugin system?**\n
Yes. The recommended path is `npx @sitemd-cc/sitemd init my-site` — that scaffolds a project, downloads the binary automatically via the npm postinstall hook, and wires up the MCP server, skills, and auto-attaching rules for Cursor in one step. You can also `/add-plugin sitemd` from inside Cursor to add the marketplace integration.

**What MCP tools does sitemd give Cursor agents?**\n
A full suite of tools covering page CRUD, content generation, SEO, deploy, auth, dynamic data, batch operations, content validation, and project status. See [MCP Server](/docs/mcp-server) for the full list.

**What rules does sitemd ship for Cursor?**\n
Three auto-attaching rules: `sitemd-project` (always on, baseline context), `sitemd-pages` (loads when editing files in `pages/`), `sitemd-settings` (loads when editing files in `settings/`). They keep context relevant without flooding the agent.

**What skills come with the plugin?**\n
A full suite of skills including `/write`, `/launch`, `/deploy`, `/seo`, `/kickstart`, `/clone`, `/og-image`, `/import`, `/site`, `/feedback`, `/reload`, `/shutdown`, and more. Each is a standard skill that agents in Cursor discover and run by name. See [Skills](/docs/skills) for the full list.

**Do I have to host my site with sitemd?**\n
No, and you couldn't even if you wanted to. sitemd isn't a website hosting service — it's a website building toolkit you install on your machine. You'll build your site locally, then [deploy & host wherever you want](/docs/deploy#deploy-targets).

**Is there a free version/trial?**\n
Yes. sitemd can run in [free trial mode](/docs/build-modes#trial-mode) forever. You can preview [all features](/docs/build-modes#all-features-work-in-both-modes) in trial mode. You only need to pay when it's time to deploy your site.

**Can I use sitemd for client sites?**\n
Absolutely. 15% bulk discount when purchasing 50+ site slots at one time.

**What other agents does sitemd support?**\n
[Claude Code](/for/claude-code), [Codex](/for/codex), [Gemini](/for/gemini), [OpenClaw](/for/openclaw), and any MCP-capable agent. The same MCP server and skill format work across all of them.

---

# Get Started
card: Try it in your browser
card-icon: panel-top
card-link: Demo sandbox: https://demo.sitemd.cc+newtab
card: Read all about it
card-icon: book-open
card-link: Docs: /docs
card: Try it on your machine
card-icon: download
card-link: Install: /install
card: Buy it
card-icon: shopping-cart
card-link: Purchase: /upgrade