What is a coding agent?+
A coding agent is an AI system that can autonomously write, debug, refactor, and review code. Unlike autocomplete, it takes multi-step actions: reading files, running tests, and committing changes.
What are the best open-source coding agents?+
OpenHands (formerly OpenDevin) and SWE-agent lead SWE-bench benchmarks. Aider is excellent for interactive terminal use. Plandex handles long-running, multi-file tasks.
Can coding agents replace software engineers?+
Not yet. Current coding agents excel at well-scoped tasks (bug fixes, boilerplate, test generation) but struggle with system design, novel architectures, and tasks requiring deep business context.
How do I evaluate a coding agent?+
Key metrics: SWE-bench Verified score, context window size, supported languages, local vs cloud execution, cost per task, and human-in-the-loop support. AgentHub Score combines these signals.