What is agentic coding? - FAQ

Agentic coding transforms the way you develop: instead of writing each line, you orchestrate an AI agent that codes, tests, and iterates autonomously. This FAQ answers the most frequent questions about Claude Code, its models, its pricing, and its differences with Copilot and Cursor.

Agentic coding is a development paradigm where an autonomous AI agent executes complete programming tasks - from context analysis to code writing, through testing and debugging. Anthropic's Claude Code has established itself as one of the leading tools in this category. over 500,000 developers use Claude Code daily in their terminal.

To understand the foundations of this approach, see the complete guide on agentic coding which details each key concept.

Key takeaway: agentic coding replaces line-by-line autocompletion with autonomous orchestration of complete tasks.

How does agentic coding differ from traditional autocompletion?

Agentic coding entrusts an AI agent with completing tasks end-to-end, whereas autocompletion suggests code fragments.

With a tool like GitHub Copilot, you type a line and the AI completes what follows. With an agent like Claude Code, you describe an objective - "add an API route with validation and tests" - and the agent reads your codebase, writes the code, creates the test files, and fixes errors.

In practice, an agent reduces time spent on refactoring tasks by 40 to 60% according to SWE-bench 2025 benchmarks. The in-depth analysis of agentic coding explores these metrics in detail.

Key takeaway: autocompletion helps you type faster, agentic coding frees you from entire repetitive tasks.

What is Claude Code and how does it work?

Claude Code is a command-line development agent created by Anthropic, which operates directly in your terminal.

Launch Claude Code with a simple command:

$ claude

The agent accesses your file tree, reads your project context, and performs concrete actions: file creation, code editing, shell command execution. It works in an agentic loop - it plans, executes, observes the result, then adjusts its approach.

Claude Code does not require any specific IDE. It integrates into any existing terminal-based workflow. Claude Code supports over 30 programming languages.

To get started quickly, follow the installation and first launch tutorial step by step.

Key takeaway: Claude Code is a terminal-native agent that executes complete development tasks without leaving your command line.

How do you install Claude Code on your machine?

Install Claude Code in a single command via npm with Node.js 18 or higher.

Here is how to proceed:

$ npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
$ claude --version
Claude Code v1.0.32

Technical prerequisites:

• Node.js 18+ (Node.js 22 LTS recommended as of February 2026)
• npm 9+ or yarn 4+
• A compatible terminal (bash, zsh, PowerShell)
• An Anthropic API key or a Claude Max/Team subscription

The package size is approximately 45 MB. Installation takes less than 30 seconds on a standard connection. Verify your installation with claude --version to confirm everything works.

$ claude config set model claude-sonnet-4-6

The beginner's guide to Claude Code walks you through initial configuration with concrete examples.

Key takeaway: a single npm command is all it takes to install Claude Code - Node.js 18+ is the only prerequisite.

What are the three available models: Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus?

Anthropic offers three Claude models suited to different use cases: Haiku for speed, Sonnet for balance, and Opus for maximum power.

Haiku is the most economical model: approximately $0.25 per million input tokens. Sonnet offers the best value for daily agentic coding. Opus handles the most demanding tasks - codebase migrations, architecture design, multi-file debugging.

In practice, 70% of developers use Sonnet as the default model in Claude Code. Configure your preferred model as follows:

$ claude config set model claude-sonnet-4-6

To dive deeper into the differences between these models, see the beginner's guide to agentic coding which compares use cases.

Key takeaway: Sonnet 4.6 is the default choice for 70% of developers - Opus for complex tasks, Haiku for speed.

How does Claude Code compare to Copilot and Cursor?

Claude Code is an autonomous terminal agent, while Copilot is an IDE autocompletion assistant and Cursor is an integrated AI editor.

Claude Code excels at tasks that require a global understanding of the project. Its 200,000-token context window allows it to analyze entire codebases. Copilot remains performant for real-time rapid autocompletion in the IDE.

Specifically, Claude Code solves 72.7% of SWE-bench Verified tasks (Opus 4 score, 2025), compared to approximately 55% for competing solutions based on GPT-4.

The first conversations with Claude Code show how to take advantage of this agentic approach from day one.

Key takeaway: Claude Code dominates on multi-file tasks and refactoring; Copilot remains strong in inline autocompletion.

What are the pricing plans and token consumption?

Claude Code offers three main plans: pay-as-you-go API, Claude Max at $100/month (5x), and Claude Team at $30/user/month.

In practice, a 30-minute agentic coding session consumes between 50,000 and 150,000 tokens depending on task complexity. An active developer uses on average 2 to 5 million tokens per day.

API costs vary by model: Haiku costs approximately $0.25/M input tokens and $1.25/M output tokens. Sonnet charges $3/M input and $15/M output. Opus reaches $15/M input and $75/M output.

Monitor your consumption with:

$ claude usage

Discover the essential slash commands to efficiently manage your token budget and optimize your interactions.

Key takeaway: Claude Max 5x at $100/month covers the needs of most professional developers.

How do you launch your first agentic coding session?

Open your terminal in your project directory and type claude to start an interactive session.

Here is how to perform your first agentic task:

$ cd my-project
$ claude
> Analyze this project and list the main files
> Add a GET /api/health route with a unit test

Claude Code begins by reading your project structure. It identifies the frameworks used, existing patterns, then generates code consistent with your codebase. The agent creates the necessary files, writes the tests, and runs them automatically.

The CLAUDE.md file at the root of your project allows you to persist preferences and conventions. Configure it from the start to guide the agent:

# CLAUDE.md
- Framework: Next.js 15 with App Router
- Tests: Vitest
- Style: TypeScript strict

The CLAUDE.md memory system is essential for getting consistent results from one session to the next. Also see the FAQ on your first conversations for common beginner questions.

Key takeaway: create a CLAUDE.md file from day one to guide the agent and get code that conforms to your conventions.

Why is agentic coding more effective than AI pair-programming?

Agentic coding eliminates manual back-and-forth by executing an autonomous planning-execution-verification loop.

In traditional AI pair-programming, you ask a question, receive a suggestion, copy it, adapt it, then test. This cycle takes on average 3 to 5 minutes per iteration. An agentic agent completes this full cycle in 15 to 45 seconds.

developers using Claude Code in agentic mode complete development tasks 3 to 5 times faster than with a traditional conversational assistant. The gain is especially visible on multi-file tasks: the agent manipulates 10 to 50 files per session without losing context.

The Claude Code one-day training at SFEIR Institute lets you master these agentic workflows with hands-on labs on real projects. You learn to formulate effective prompts and configure the agent for your technical stack.

Key takeaway: agentic mode is 3 to 5 times faster than AI pair-programming thanks to the elimination of manual copy-paste.

What are the concrete use cases for agentic coding?

The most common use cases are refactoring, test generation, code migration, and automated documentation.

1. Refactoring - Rename a variable across 200 files in a single command
2. Unit tests - Generate 80% test coverage in a few minutes
3. Migration - Convert a JavaScript codebase to TypeScript
4. Documentation - Produce docstrings and READMEs from existing code
5. Debugging - Analyze a stack trace and propose a fix
6. Code review - Identify anti-patterns and suggest improvements
7. Prototyping - Create a functional MVP in under 2 hours

In practice, multi-file refactoring represents 35% of Claude Code usage in enterprise. Test generation comes in second with 25% of sessions.

Specifically, a developer can migrate a 10,000-line JavaScript project to TypeScript in 4 to 6 hours with Claude Code, versus 2 to 3 weeks of manual work.

To develop these skills in a structured way, the AI-Augmented Developer training at SFEIR Institute over 2 days covers the entire range of agentic workflows - from prompt engineering to AI-assisted debugging strategies.

Key takeaway: refactoring and test generation represent 60% of agentic coding usage in enterprise.

How do you secure agent execution in your terminal?

Claude Code works with a permissions system that asks for confirmation before any sensitive action.

Three permission levels control execution:

• Read-only - The agent reads files without modification
• Supervised writing - Each modification requires your approval
• Autonomous mode - The agent writes and executes freely (must be explicitly enabled)

$ claude config set permissions supervised

The agent can never execute destructive commands (rm -rf, git push --force) without your explicit validation. Every action is logged in the terminal, giving you full traceability.

In 2026, Anthropic reinforced Claude Code's sandboxing with an optional containerized mode. This mode isolates execution in a Docker environment, limiting access to the project file system only.

The slash commands FAQ details the permission management commands available in Claude Code.

Key takeaway: the three-level permissions system ensures the agent modifies nothing without your explicit agreement.

Can Claude Code be used in a CI/CD pipeline?

Yes, Claude Code integrates into CI/CD pipelines via headless mode which accepts instructions from standard input.

Run Claude Code in non-interactive mode:

$ echo "Generate missing tests for src/api/" | claude --headless

This mode allows you to automate test generation, code review, and documentation in your GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins workflows. The agent returns an exit code of 0 on success, making integration into existing scripts straightforward.

15% of Claude Code users already integrate it into their CI/CD pipeline to automate code review. The installation and first launch includes a dedicated section on CI/CD configuration.

Key takeaway: Claude Code's headless mode enables direct integration into GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and Jenkins.

Is a permanent Internet connection required to use Claude Code?

Yes, Claude Code requires an active Internet connection because Claude models run on Anthropic's servers.

Each request is sent to the Anthropic API for processing. Network latency adds to the model's generation time. In practice, a connection with 50 ms latency and 5 Mbps bandwidth is sufficient for a smooth experience.

Claude Code caches your project context locally. If the connection is interrupted, the agent preserves the session state and automatically resumes upon reconnection. No code data is permanently stored on Anthropic's servers - processing is ephemeral.

For those who want to go further in mastering AI development tools, the AI-Augmented Developer - Advanced one-day training at SFEIR explores advanced architectures, including network resilience strategies and token optimization.

Key takeaway: an Internet connection is required, but 5 Mbps is sufficient and the local cache preserves your session in case of disconnection.

What languages and frameworks does Claude Code support?

Claude Code supports over 30 programming languages, with optimal performance on TypeScript, Python, Java, Go, and Rust.

The best-supported frameworks include:

• Frontend - React, Next.js 15, Vue 3, Angular 18, Svelte 5
• Backend - Express, FastAPI, Spring Boot 3, Gin, Actix
• Mobile - React Native, Flutter, Swift UI
• Infrastructure - Terraform, Pulumi, Docker, Kubernetes

Support is not limited to syntax. Claude Code understands the idiomatic patterns of each ecosystem. It generates React code with hooks and Server-Side Rendering when the project uses Next.js, or Pythonic code with type hints when the project is in Python 3.12+.

In practice, TypeScript and Python represent 65% of Claude Code sessions in 2026. The agent achieves an 85% resolution rate on TypeScript tasks according to Anthropic internal benchmarks.

Key takeaway: TypeScript and Python are the best-supported languages, but Claude Code works with over 30 languages.