Agentic coding gives an AI a goal and lets it take several actions to reach it. The agent can inspect a repository, plan work, edit files, run commands, read test failures, and try again. A person supervises the process and reviews the result.
Autocomplete is much narrower. It predicts text near the cursor, and nothing changes unless the developer accepts the suggestion. An agent can affect many files and use tools, so it offers more leverage and a larger failure area. Use autocomplete for quick local drafting. Use an agent for a clear, bounded task with reliable checks, limited permissions, and enough review capacity to understand everything it changes.
Rewriting in plainer words…
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