Quick definition · 2 min AI term
Coding agent
A coding agent is an AI tool that does not just suggest code but reads your files, makes changes, runs commands, and fixes its own errors in a loop.
Think of it like
Less like autocomplete, more like a junior developer at the keyboard: give it a task and it works through the steps, checking as it goes.
Example
Tools like Claude Code, Cursor’s agent, and Aider can edit several files, run the tests, read the failure, and try again until it passes.
Why it matters
It is the shift from “AI that talks” to “AI that acts” in your codebase. Powerful, but you still have to read and test what it does.
Where you’ll see it
Claude CodeCursorAiderWindsurf
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