Agentic engineering, a term coined to describe software development assisted by coding agents, is gaining traction. These agents, like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, and Gemini CLI, can both write and execute code. They operate by running tools in a loop to achieve a defined goal, iterating until the task is complete.

This capability is transformative, as it moves beyond LLMs merely generating code to actually running it, enabling agents to learn from execution results and improve. The core insight is that while agents handle the code writing, human engineers retain a critical role: navigating complex problem-solving, defining goals precisely, and verifying results. Effective use requires providing agents with the right tools, clear specifications, and iterative refinement to ensure robust solutions.