When AI agents don't just suggest code — they plan, write, test, debug, and ship entire features autonomously.
$ claude "Build a contact form with validation"
→ Planning implementation...
→ Creating components/ContactForm.tsx
→ Adding Zod validation schema
→ Writing tests...
→ Running tsc --noEmit... ✓
→ Running tests... 4/4 passed ✓
✓ Feature complete. 3 files created.
Agentic coding is when AI agents autonomously plan, write, test, and debug code — handling entire features, not just line completions. A developer describes what to build; the agent figures out how, implements it, and verifies it works.
Toggle between approaches to see the difference in workflow.
Anthropic's terminal agent. Plans and executes multi-file changes, runs tests, commits code.
AI-native IDE with inline editing, multi-file context, and agent mode for autonomous coding.
Codeium's AI IDE with Cascade — a multi-step coding agent that handles complex refactors.
Open-source terminal tool for AI pair programming. Git-aware, supports multiple LLM backends.
Developer writes a clear description of the feature, including acceptance criteria.
Agent analyses the existing codebase, identifies files to modify, and creates an implementation plan.
Agent writes code across multiple files — components, utilities, types, tests — following project conventions.
Agent runs type checks, linting, tests, and builds. If anything fails, it diagnoses and fixes automatically.
Developer reviews the diff. Agent iterates on feedback until the implementation meets standards.
Features that take days are shipped in hours. The agent handles boilerplate, tests, and iteration automatically.
Agents follow the same conventions every time. No tired-Friday code, no style drift across a codebase.
Developers spend time on design decisions and strategy instead of typing syntax and debugging typos.
Agentic coding is when AI agents autonomously write, test, and refine code to complete programming tasks. Unlike autocomplete tools, agentic coding systems plan multi-step implementations and execute them end-to-end.
Copilot suggests the next line. Agentic coding plans an entire feature, creates the files, writes the tests, runs them, fixes errors, and commits — all autonomously. It's project-level, not line-level.
Key tools include Claude Code (terminal-based agent), Cursor (AI-powered IDE), Windsurf, and Aider. These tools give AI agents the ability to read codebases, write files, run commands, and iterate on errors.
Yes, with proper guardrails. Automated type checking, test suites, and build validation ensure agent-written code meets production standards. Human review remains essential for architecture decisions.
No — it changes what programmers do. Instead of writing every line, developers become architects and reviewers. The skill shifts from typing code to defining good specifications and evaluating outputs.
Ship your next project in a 2-week agentic development sprint. Real results, not experiments.