Coding agent
An agent that reads a repository, edits files, runs commands and tests, and opens pull requests.
Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and similar tools work inside your codebase with your tools. They are fast at well-specified work and confident when wrong. The output is only as good as the tests, rules and review around it.
Related terms
- AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md: Files in a repository with the rules a coding agent reads at the start of every session.
- Hooks: Scripts the harness runs automatically at fixed points, such as before a tool call or after an edit.
- Human in the loop: A person approves, edits or rejects the agent’s action before it takes effect.
