AI coding workflow

AI Coding Agents

By The Learn Cursor Editorial TeamUpdated June 23, 20264 sections

Answer first

An AI coding agent can inspect a repo, plan a change, call tools, edit files, run commands and return a handoff. In Cursor, agents now span local work, /in-cloud subagents, /loop, Automations, Bugbot review and SDK runs. The useful question is whether the output is scoped, checked and reviewable.

What is the working pattern for coding agents?

Move: Start with a bounded task
Use this when: Developers, AI engineers and DevEx teams building or adopting coding agents.
Proof to save: Issue, files, checks and owner are named

Move: Give the agent context
Use this when: The repo has patterns the agent must follow
Proof to save: Prompt cites files, errors and constraints

Move: Review the diff
Use this when: The task changes production code
Proof to save: Changed files, test output and risks are visible

Move	Use this when	Proof to save
Start with a bounded task	Developers, AI engineers and DevEx teams building or adopting coding agents.	Issue, files, checks and owner are named
Give the agent context	The repo has patterns the agent must follow	Prompt cites files, errors and constraints
Review the diff	The task changes production code	Changed files, test output and risks are visible

A good AI coding workflow is specific enough to review and small enough to recover.

Inspectable agent workflow

1/5

Context: Name the issue, repo area, source files and constraints.

Use this loop when the change is larger than autocomplete and smaller than a full project rewrite.

Agent trace

Open each stage to see what a reviewer should be able to inspect.

Learn Cursor module with a learning section, diagram and checks — Practice view

How should a team run coding agents?

1Pick one real backlog item with a clear owner and expected result.
2Add only the context the agent needs: files, failing output, constraints and done state.
3Ask for a plan before code when the task touches more than one file.
4Run checks that match the risk: unit test, typecheck, visual pass or review checklist.
5Capture the prompt, diff, result and reviewer note so the workflow can be repeated.

Prompt frame

Task, context, constraints, done state and checks.

Review habit

Open the diff, read changed files and rerun the check yourself.

Team artifact

The hub maps agent context, tool access, approvals, tests and review into one workflow.

What should you keep after the run?

The prompt or plan that shaped the work.
The files changed and the reason each file changed.
The command, screenshot or review note that proved the result.
The rule, checklist or template you would reuse next time.

Which Cursor release facts should this page reflect?

Surface: Compile 2026
Current fact to account for: Cursor's June 16 event made Origin, larger from-scratch model training and Cursor Mobile the highest-signal new topics to track.

Surface: Origin
Current fact to account for: Cursor describes Origin as a git forge for the agentic era; the public page is currently waitlist-first, so migration and security details need refresh.

Surface: Model and mobile
Current fact to account for: Composer 2.5 is available now; Cursor says a larger model is training with SpaceXAI. Mobile-native details remain beta/forum-sourced unless Cursor publishes a product page.

Surface: Automations
Current fact to account for: /automate, Slack emoji triggers, GitHub issue/comment/review/workflow triggers, computer use, PR defaults and memory cleanup.

Surface: Cloud Agents
Current fact to account for: Guided cloud environment setup, reusable snapshots, .cursor/environment.json, /in-cloud, /babysit and local/cloud handoff.

Surface: Review
Current fact to account for: BugbotCursor's automated PR reviewer that posts inline findings and can push fix commits from isolated VMs. averages about 90 seconds, is powered by Composer 2.5, finds 10% more bugs per review and can run before push with /review.

Surface: Design and Canvas
Current fact to account for: Design Mode supports multi-select and voice queueing; canvases support Design Mode, context reports, Debug with Agent, full-screen sharing and prompt buttons.

Surface: SDK and run modes
Current fact to account for: SDK agents can use custom tools, auto-review, JSONL/custom stores, nested subagents and request IDs; Auto-review Run Mode routes tool calls through safer execution paths.

Surface: Enterprise and pricing
Current fact to account for: Organizations sit above teams, groups scope model/spend/agent permissions, and Teams now has Standard/Premium seats with Auto + Composer and third-party API pools.

Surface	Current fact to account for
Compile 2026	Cursor's June 16 event made Origin, larger from-scratch model training and Cursor Mobile the highest-signal new topics to track.
Origin	Cursor describes Origin as a git forge for the agentic era; the public page is currently waitlist-first, so migration and security details need refresh.
Model and mobile	Composer 2.5 is available now; Cursor says a larger model is training with SpaceXAI. Mobile-native details remain beta/forum-sourced unless Cursor publishes a product page.
Automations	`/automate`, Slack emoji triggers, GitHub issue/comment/review/workflow triggers, computer use, PR defaults and memory cleanup.
Cloud Agents	Guided cloud environment setup, reusable snapshots, `.cursor/environment.json`, `/in-cloud`, `/babysit` and local/cloud handoff.
Review	BugbotCursor's automated PR reviewer that posts inline findings and can push fix commits from isolated VMs. averages about 90 seconds, is powered by Composer 2.5, finds 10% more bugs per review and can run before push with `/review`.
Design and Canvas	Design Mode supports multi-select and voice queueing; canvases support Design Mode, context reports, Debug with Agent, full-screen sharing and prompt buttons.
SDK and run modes	SDK agents can use custom tools, auto-review, JSONL/custom stores, nested subagents and request IDs; Auto-review Run Mode routes tool calls through safer execution paths.
Enterprise and pricing	Organizations sit above teams, groups scope model/spend/agent permissions, and Teams now has Standard/Premium seats with Auto + Composer and third-party API pools.

These facts were checked against Cursor-owned release sources on 2026-06-23.

Agent guides

What Is an AI Coding Agent?

A plain definition of AI coding agents and how they differ from chat assistants.

Keep reading

How to Orchestrate Coding Agents

A workflow guide for using coding agents across context, tools, tests and review.

Keep reading

Local Agent vs Cloud Agent

How to choose between local coding agents and cloud coding agents.

Keep reading

How to Build a Pull Request Review Agent

A build guide for an AI agent that reviews pull requests.

Keep reading

How to Build a CI Failure Fix Agent

A build guide for an agent that reads CI failures and proposes a safe patch.

Keep reading

How to Build a Docs Update Agent With Next.js

How to design an agent that updates docs when code or product behavior changes.

Keep reading

How to Build a Bug Triage Agent With Linear and GitHub

How to build an agent that maps bug reports to scoped engineering tasks.

Keep reading

Frequently asked questions

Who is AI Coding Agents for?

Developers, AI engineers and DevEx teams building or adopting coding agents.

What makes this page credible?

The hub maps agent context, tool access, approvals, tests and review into one workflow.

What should I do next?

Start with one real repo task, capture the prompt and review the result before scaling the workflow.

Editorial notes

Source review

Last checked: June 23, 2026
Scope: Cursor docs, Cursor Learn pages and product docs.
Refresh: Quarterly, plus changes to Cursor agent or CLI docs.
Reviewer: Learn Cursor editorial

Page assets

Primary media: Agent workflow trace.
Supporting media: Tool-call and handoff checklist.
Interactive element: Agent trace explorer.
Transcript: Add a transcript when a recorded walkthrough is added.
Refresh owner: Learn Cursor editorial.

Content pod

Pod: Workflow pod
Owner: Editorial director
Reviewers: DevRel engineer, SEO lead, Senior editor

QA gate

Human signal: Includes a task-specific diagram, checklist or calculator.
Claims: Claims stay tied to sources, visible limits and page scope.
Visual proof: Uses product screenshots or annotated workflow diagrams, not stock art.
Page rhythm: Sections vary between answer, method, visual and action blocks.

Sources & last verified

Cursor ships frequently. Facts verified against primary sources on June 23, 2026.