How to Work with AI Coding Agents

AI coding agents are distinguished from simpler tools by their ability to interact with a repository, modify files, and run tests to achieve a high-level goal. To work with them effectively, it is crucial to provide specific context, constraints, and acceptance criteria rather than vague, open-ended prompts. The recommended workflow involves breaking down large problems into small, testable tasks and following an iterative cycle of asking, inspecting, planning, implementing, testing, and reviewing. This process shifts the developer's role from primarily writing code to strategic delegation and critical evaluation of the agent's output. Ultimately, the developer remains essential for assessing design, architecture, maintainability, and security, as AI makes producing code cheap but understanding it remains expensive.