What is agentic coding?
Agentic coding is a way of building software where you hand tasks to an AI agent and direct its planning, code changes and testing instead of writing every line yourself. The developer’s job shifts from typing code to describing work, reviewing it and verifying it.
How the workflow changes
In the classic workflow you write the code and tools help. With agentic coding you describe the goal and the boundaries; the agent explores the repo, makes a plan, changes the code and runs the tests. Your part is writing a good task, approving decisions along the way and checking the result before you accept it.
Writing a good task
What you get back depends heavily on what you ask for.
- Say what “done” means: which tests must pass, how a screen should look.
- Limit the scope: name the files and rules that are off limits.
- Split big jobs: research and a plan first, then the build.
- Put project rules in an instruction file such as CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md so you don’t repeat them every time.
Verify, and keep it reversible
An agent saying “all done” is not evidence. Tests, type checks, a second model’s review or checking acceptance criteria one by one show whether the work is really finished. Being able to undo matters too: small commits, separate branches or per-turn snapshots make an agent that went the wrong way cheap to fix.
How it differs from vibe coding
In vibe coding you go by the result without reading the code, which suits quick experiments. Agentic coding is aimed at code that has to last: changes are reviewed, tested and committed properly. The same agents work for both; the difference is how much oversight you apply.
Agentic coding in AgentVera
AgentVera shortens the loop of giving an agent work and checking what came back.
- Verify pulls acceptance criteria from your message; when the turn ends, an independent verifier runs the tests and marks each criterion with evidence (Pro and Team).
- Automatic code review: when a turn ends, the Claude model you choose reviews the code, with findings linked to file:line.
- Checkpoints snapshot the working folder at the start of every turn, so you can undo a turn in one click.
- Research, plan, build is a ready three-agent flow that asks for your approval before the plan goes to the builder (Pro and Team).
- AgentVera VerifyThe acceptance criteria in your message are checked against evidence by an independent verifier at turn end.
- Automatic code reviewWhen a turn ends, a second model reviews the agent’s code; findings link to file:line.
- Checkpoints and session replayA snapshot of every turn; undo one in a click and replay a session step by step.
FAQ
Is agentic coding the same as vibe coding?
No. In vibe coding the code mostly goes unread and you judge by the result. In agentic coding the agent writes the code, but you define the task, review the change and confirm it with tests.
Will agentic coding replace developers?
It changes the role rather than removing it. Deciding what to build, protecting the architecture, verifying results and owning the outcome stay with developers.
What kind of work suits an agent?
Well-scoped, testable work: bug fixes, small features with tests, dependency upgrades and refactors. Fuzzy product decisions and security-critical changes need closer supervision.
What’s the most common mistake?
Accepting the agent’s output without checking it. Running the tests and reading the diff is far cheaper than debugging later.