A coding agent you can run from scripts and CI
AgenC Core is an open source coding agent for your terminal. With agenc -p it runs one task headless, prints the result and exits with a status code, so you can call it from a script, a cron job or a CI step.
One command
agenc -p "run the tests and fix what fails"
Print mode prints the answer and exits. The exit code is the outcome of the turn, so a script can tell success from failure. Piped input works too.
Output a program can read
agenc -p --output-format json "summarize the open TODOs" agenc -p --output-format stream-json "summarize this repository"
json prints one structured result. stream-json streams events as they happen.
A hard deadline
agenc -p --deadline +900 "make the build pass"
The agent knows how much time is left on every turn, and near the end it is told to stop exploring, keep its best verified state and wrap up. A run still going at the deadline is stopped and exits with code 5, and the files it saved are the result. AgenC's Terminal-Bench runs use this same headless mode. Results
Approvals and spending
Print mode never stops to ask for approval: anything that needs one is denied. Allow what the task needs with permission rules, or pass --bypass-approvals, which starts commands in the OS sandbox where your system supports one. To cap what a run can spend, set AGENC_MAX_BUDGET_USD.
Keep going where you left off
agenc -c -p "now add tests for the fix"
-c continues the latest session in this project as one more turn, and --resume <session-id> picks a specific one.
Any model
agenc -p --provider deepseek --model deepseek-flash "fix the failing test"
Headless runs work with all 25 providers, including local models. All providers
Questions
Can AgenC Core run without the interactive terminal UI?
Yes. agenc -p runs one task headless, prints the result and exits with the turn's outcome as its exit code. agenc --no-tui does the same.
Can I get JSON output?
Yes. Add --output-format json for one structured result, or --output-format stream-json to stream events.
How do I stop a run that takes too long?
Pass --deadline with a number of seconds, for example --deadline +900. The agent is told to wrap up near the end, and a run still going at the deadline is stopped and exits with code 5.
What happens when a command needs approval in headless mode?
Print mode denies it. Allow what the task needs with permission rules, or pass --bypass-approvals, which runs commands in the OS sandbox where the system supports one.
Open source under the MIT license. Source code · All providers · Verify your download