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How Codegen Works

Codegen is an expert software engineering agent designed to help development teams build better software. This document explains the architecture and workflow of Codegen.

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Architecture Overview

Codegen operates through a sophisticated system with several key components:

Codegen Architecture

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Core Components

  1. Trigger System

    • Monitors various channels (Slack, GitHub, Linear, API)
    • Detects when users mention or interact with Codegen
    • Captures context from the triggering environment

  2. Context Gathering

    • Analyzes the codebase structure
    • Retrieves relevant information from integrations
    • Builds a comprehensive understanding of the task

  3. Task Planning

    • Breaks down complex requests into actionable steps
    • Determines the optimal approach to solve the problem
    • Identifies required tools and resources

  4. Execution Engine

    • Runs commands in a sandboxed environment
    • Makes code changes through precise edits
    • Interacts with external services via API

  5. Response Generation

    • Creates clear, concise responses
    • Formats information appropriately for the channel
    • Provides links to relevant resources

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Workflow

When you interact with Codegen, the following process occurs:

  1. Trigger: You mention Codegen in Slack, tag it in a GitHub PR, or interact with it in Linear
  2. Context Analysis: Codegen gathers relevant information about your request
  3. Planning: It determines the best approach to solve your problem
  4. Execution: Codegen performs necessary actions (code analysis, edits, searches)
  5. Response: It provides a helpful response in the same channel where you triggered it

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Available Tools

Codegen has access to a powerful set of tools:

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Code Analysis & Navigation

  • Search codebases using text or regex patterns
  • View file contents and metadata
  • Analyze code structure and dependencies
  • Reveal symbol definitions and usages

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File Operations

  • View, create, edit, and delete files
  • Rename files while updating all imports
  • Move symbols between files
  • Commit changes to disk

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Semantic Editing

  • Make precise, context-aware code edits
  • Analyze affected code structures
  • Preview changes before applying
  • Ensure code quality with linting
  • Search the web for information
  • View specific web pages for reference

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Integration Tools

  • Create and manage GitHub issues and PRs
  • Interact with Linear tickets
  • Send messages in Slack
  • And more…

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Best Practices for Working with Codegen

To get the most out of Codegen:

  1. Be Specific: Clearly describe what you want Codegen to do
  2. Provide Context: Mention relevant files, issues, or PRs
  3. Break Down Complex Tasks: Ask for one thing at a time for best results
  4. Review Changes: Always review PRs created by Codegen before merging
  5. Provide Feedback: Let Codegen know if its response was helpful

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Security and Privacy

Codegen operates with security as a priority:

  • All code operations happen in isolated sandboxed environments
  • Codegen only accesses repositories you’ve explicitly granted it access to
  • Your code is never used to train AI models
  • All operations follow the principle of least privilege

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Limitations

While powerful, Codegen has some limitations:

  • It cannot access private networks or systems outside its integrations
  • Very large codebases may take longer to analyze
  • Complex architectural decisions still benefit from human oversight
  • It works best with well-structured, documented code

For more information about Codegen’s capabilities, see the Capabilities page.