Background readingRising
Agentic Coding
noun · a way of doing things
A software workflow in which an AI agent takes multiple steps—such as editing files, running tests and revising code—toward a goal set by a person.
A little background for the cultural references. This is a supporting explanation, rather than a slang or meme entry. Explore the AI culture dictionary.
What it means: Agentic Coding
Agentic coding gives the model a loop of actions and feedback instead of asking it for a single block of code. The agent may inspect a repository, make an edit, run a command and respond to the result. The degree of autonomy varies, and human review can remain central to the process.
How people use it
I gave the coding agent a failing test and a narrow goal, then reviewed the patch it produced.
Use agentic to describe the tool’s ability to take successive actions. Use vibe coding to describe a person’s way of steering and trusting generated code. A workflow can involve either, both or neither.
Illustrative example written for this dictionary.
Why it matters
More steps can mean more useful work, but also more opportunities for a mistaken assumption to propagate. A clear scope, inspectable changes and meaningful checks help keep the result connected to the original goal.
For another angle, explore Vibe Coding and Prompt Engineering.
Where it came from
The phrase brings the broader language of AI agents into software development. It describes a family of workflows rather than one product or a precisely dated invention. In cultural conversation it often appears beside vibe coding, even though the terms emphasize different things.