Back to Glossary
Coding Tools
Agentic Coding
Definition
Agentic coding refers to AI-assisted development where the AI autonomously plans, executes, and iterates on multi-step coding tasks rather than just providing suggestions for the developer to accept.
Why It Matters
Traditional AI coding assistants wait for your input and suggest completions. Agentic coding tools can take a high-level task (“implement user authentication”) and autonomously create files, write code, run tests, fix errors, and iterate until the task is complete. This represents a fundamental shift in how developers work with AI.
Key Characteristics
- Autonomous Planning: AI breaks down tasks into steps
- Multi-file Changes: Creates and modifies multiple files
- Iterative Execution: Runs code, sees errors, fixes them
- Tool Integration: Uses terminal, file system, git
- Human Oversight: Developers review and guide at checkpoints
Current Tools
- Cursor Agent Mode: Multi-file changes with iteration
- Claude Code: Terminal-based agentic assistant
- GitHub Copilot Agent: Autonomous coding in VS Code
- Aider: Open-source terminal agent
- Windsurf Cascade: Visual agentic workflows
How to Work With It
Start with clear, scoped tasks. Review changes before committing. Provide feedback to guide the agent. Use for scaffolding and boilerplate, then refine manually for critical logic.