Is Agent's manual going to add a difference?
Agents markdown might just be the missing context that will make AI truely effective. AGENTS.md is the voice of the codebase - a universal guide any AI can read and follow.
Last month, OpenAI rolled out the ChatGPT Agent — a step beyond just chatting. It’s designed to handle multi-step tasks: planning meals, managing calendars, putting together slide decks, and more.
The way I see it, this is a real breakthrough. Imagine an agent with its own virtual computer able to work like a human teammate: pick up a goal, do the deep research, write the code, run the tests, and then let you review and merge the PR.That’s not just assistance, that’s collaboration. Pretty crazy to think where this is heading!
More here.
But to make this possible, our code needs to “speak up” — not just through linting, but by sharing deeper context that agents often miss. That’s where OpenAI introduced another standard: AGENTS.md.
Think of it like a README.md, but written not just for humans. It’s a single, unified Markdown file that captures all the crucial project context: build commands, naming conventions, architecture decisions, testing guidelines, and more.
With this, AI coding tools can finally understand how a project “works” before they start generating code making their contributions way more aligned and useful.
Why this matters
Traditional AI agents (like Codex-based tools) often struggle with project-specific quirks. They may generate code that compiles—but misses local conventions, test suites, or architectural assumptions. AGENTS.md brings that context into the loop, making AI-generated contributions more coherent, consistent, and production-ready.
In effect, AGENTS.md becomes the "voice of the codebase" a universal guide any AI can read and follow. It reduces guesswork, reduces PR churn, and significantly elevates trust in AI-generated changes. As AI agents evolve from passive assistance to intelligent collaborators, context is the bridge that transforms them from generalists into expert teammates.
If your team is exploring AI-assisted development or already working with agentic tools like Codex, consider adding an AGENTS.md starter guide. Even a minimal file defining key architecture, styling conventions, test commands can dramatically improve clarity and alignment.
Following is a sample file :
As AI agents get smarter, context still matters. AGENTS.md might just be the missing piece that helps them truly understand your codebase—and helps you trust them to work within it.
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