Switch Project
Use this skill when the user wants to switch to a different project, open another codebase, or move the current conversation to a different workspace root.
How It Works
Cursor has a built-in MCP server called cursor-app-control with a tool called move_agent_to_root that changes the agent's active workspace directory. This lets you switch projects mid-conversation without opening a new window.
Steps
- Ask or infer the target project — if the user says "switch to my-app", search for it. Common project locations: List directories in the likely parent folder to find the project:
ls ~/Documents/development/If ambiguous, ask the user which project they mean.
- ~/Documents/development/ - ~/projects/ - ~/code/ - ~/repos/
- Switch the workspace — call the
cursor-app-controlMCP tool:Tool: move_agent_to_root Arguments: {"rootPath": "/Users/<username>/Documents/development/<project-name>"}This updates the visible workspace, file tree, and default working directory for all subsequent commands. - Orient in the new project — after switching, briefly describe what you see:
- Read the project's package.json, README.md, or equivalent to understand the stack. - Run git status to show the current branch and state. - List the top-level directory structure.
Creating a New Project
If the user wants to start a new project and switch to it:
- Call
create_projectwith the desired path — this creates the directory and initializes a git repo. - Call
move_agent_to_rootto switch into it. - Begin scaffolding.
Notes
- This only works if the
cursor-app-controlMCP server is enabled. - The switch happens in the current conversation — no new window is opened.
- All file paths in subsequent tool calls will resolve relative to the new root.
- You can switch back to the original project the same way.