Module 4 – Agent Mode, Cloud Coding Agents, and Isolated Work

Learning outcomes

Choose between local agent mode, terminal agents, and cloud coding agents; supervise long-running work safely.

Current workflow models

  • Ask mode: explanation and exploration without autonomous editing.
  • Plan mode: repository analysis and an implementation plan before changes.
  • Local agent mode: edits files and runs commands in the developer’s environment.
  • Cloud coding agent: works asynchronously in an isolated environment, creates a branch, runs checks, and proposes a pull request.

Isolation strategy

Use a dedicated branch, git worktree, container, or cloud sandbox for each agent task. Give each task a clear boundary, test command, maximum runtime, and definition of done. Parallel agents must not modify the same workspace.

Lab 4

Delegate two independent tasks in isolated branches: one improves test coverage and one updates documentation. Review commits separately, run the full CI pipeline, then integrate only verified changes.