> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.sonarsource.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.sonarsource.com/agent-centric-development-cycle/readme.md).

# About the Agent Centric Development Cycle

## Overview

The Agent Centric Development Cycle (AC/DC) is Sonar’s framework for building software in an AI-driven world, where agents handle much of the coding and humans govern quality.\
It defines three loops where work happens:

* [The agentic loop](/agent-centric-development-cycle/inside-your-agent-the-agentic-loop/agentic-loop.md), where agents implement tasks such as new features, bug fixes, or refactorings. Sonar Vortex guides your agent and verifies its code as it is written.
* [The CI verification loop](/agent-centric-development-cycle/in-your-pull-requests-the-ci-verification-loop/ci-verification-loop.md), where zero-trust, multi-layered code review and a quality gate prevent problems from being merged into the mainline branch. SonarQube analysis raises issues and passes or fails the quality gate, and Gitar adds AI-powered code review.
* [The code maintenance loop](/agent-centric-development-cycle/in-your-long-living-branches-the-code-maintenance-loop/code-maintenance-loop.md), where agents asynchronously address legacy issues. The Remediation Agent and AI CodeFix propose fixes for issues already in your codebase.

Each loop feeds the next, with agents delivering code to a pull request that is verified and gated.

This workflow helps agents produce code that aligns more closely with project standards, catches issues earlier, and shortens the review-to-fix cycle.

The diagram below shows where AC/DC features fit in this cycle.

```mermaid
%%{init: {'theme': 'base', 'themeVariables': {
  'primaryColor': '#E6F2FF',
  'primaryBorderColor': '#126ED3',
  'primaryTextColor': '#111827',
  'clusterBkg': 'rgba(18,110,211,0.06)',
  'clusterBorder': '#126ED3',
  'lineColor': '#126ED3'
}}}%%
flowchart LR
  %% Loops laid out left-to-right, details descending within each phase

  subgraph AgenticLoop["Agentic loop"]
    direction LR
    VX["Sonar Vortex
---
Project-specific context before work starts
Analysis of modifications during generation"]
  end

  subgraph CIVerificationLoop["CI verification loop"]
    direction LR
    GTR["Gitar
---
AI-powered code review: inline comments,
summaries, walkthroughs, diagrams on PRs"]

  SQ["SonarQube
---
Analyzes new code, raises issues,
passes or fails the quality gate"]
  end

  subgraph CodeMaintenanceLoop["Code maintenance loop"]
    direction LR
    RA["Remediation Agent
---
Fixes PR & backlog issues,
re-analyzes fixes"]
    CF["AI CodeFix
---
Generates fixes for individual SonarQube issues"]
  end

  %% Left-to-right flow between phases
  AgenticLoop --> CIVerificationLoop
  CIVerificationLoop --> CodeMaintenanceLoop
  RA -.->|Fixes return as pull requests| CIVerificationLoop
```

## What you need

AC/DC features have different subscription requirements:

* Sonar Vortex (context augmentation and agentic analysis) and the Remediation Agent are part of Sonar Agent Essentials, which requires a separate subscription to your SonarQube Cloud Team (annual) or Enterprise plan. See [Subscription plans](/sonarqube-cloud/administering-sonarcloud/managing-subscription/subscription-plans.md).
* AI CodeFix is available with SonarQube Cloud Team and Enterprise plans, and with SonarQube Server Enterprise and Data Center editions.
* Gitar is a Sonar product that can be purchased separately.

## Get started

Start with the [agentic loop](/agent-centric-development-cycle/inside-your-agent-the-agentic-loop/agentic-loop.md) to set up Sonar Vortex in your agent, then move on to the [CI verification loop](/agent-centric-development-cycle/in-your-pull-requests-the-ci-verification-loop/ci-verification-loop.md) and the [code maintenance loop](/agent-centric-development-cycle/in-your-long-living-branches-the-code-maintenance-loop/code-maintenance-loop.md).

## Related pages

* [SonarQube CLI in agentic workflows](/agent-centric-development-cycle/developer-tools/sonarqube-cli-in-agentic-workflows.md)
* [Agent plugins](/agent-centric-development-cycle/developer-tools/agent-plugins.md)
* [Code quality and security in the age of AI and agentic development](https://www.sonarsource.com/resources/library/buyers-guide-to-code-quality-and-security/)


---

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