Workflows vs. Agents Guide

Essential AI Content for Software Devs, Minus the Hype

Hello DevThink.AI readers! This edition is packed with practical insights, including an in-depth architectural guide comparing AI workflows versus agents to help you make better design decisions, Google's new Gemini CLI that brings AI directly to your terminal with generous free limits, and the emergence of "context engineering" as the next essential skill beyond prompt engineering. Whether you're building your first AI agent or optimizing production systems, we've curated the tutorials, tools, and insights you need to stay ahead.

📖 TUTORIALS & CASE STUDIES

Free MCP Course from Hugging Face

Estimated read time: 8 min

Hugging Face's new Model Context Protocol course offers developers a path to building AI applications with external data and tools. The free certification program, developed with Anthropic, covers MCP fundamentals, hands-on SDK implementation, and real-world deployments through a 4-week curriculum.

Programming LLMs with DSPy

Estimated read time: 18 min

Discover how DataBricks' DSPy framework enables developers to build LLM applications using modular programming principles rather than complex prompts. Through practical examples, learn how DSPy's optimization features can automatically improve your AI pipelines through instruction tuning and few-shot learning.

Workflows vs. Agents Guide

Estimated read time: 25 min

This architectural comparison explores the critical differences between AI workflows and agents, helping developers make informed architectural decisions. It provides practical frameworks for choosing between structured workflows and autonomous agents, with detailed insights into production considerations including monitoring, security, and cost management.

Cubic's AI Agent Lessons

Estimated read time: 8 min

Cubic's engineering team summarizes how they improved their AI code review agent by implementing explicit reasoning logs, streamlining tools, and using specialized micro-agents. Their architectural changes reduced false positives by 51%, offering valuable lessons for developers building AI agents for production environments.

Reinforcement Learning Transforms LLMs

Estimated read time: 25 min

This deep dive explores how reinforcement learning revolutionized LLMs, enabling reliable multi-step reasoning and agentic behavior. It explains why early attempts like AutoGPT failed, and how modern training techniques helped create AI agents capable of complex tasks like coding, research, and computer operation.

🧰 TOOLS

Google's Gemini CLI

Estimated read time: 8 min

Google has unveiled Gemini CLI, a new open-source AI agent that brings Gemini 2.5 Pro directly into developers' terminals. With generous free usage limits and seamless integration with Gemini Code Assist, developers can leverage AI for coding, debugging, and task automation through natural language commands. Note this offering is very similar to Anthropic's Claude Code, so if you were curious about that but only had a Google AI subscription, definitely check it out.

Mobile-First Gemma 3n

Estimated read time: 15 min

Google's latest Gemma 3n announcement introduces a mobile-first AI model featuring MatFormer architecture and multimodal capabilities. With efficient 2B and 4B parameter versions, it supports image, audio, and text processing on-device. The model includes innovative features like Per-Layer Embeddings and KV Cache sharing, making it ideal for edge deployment.

OpenCode Terminal Assistant

Estimated read time: 4 min

OpenCode emerges as an open-source AI coding assistant built for the terminal, offering provider-agnostic capabilities similar to Claude Code. Notable for its TUI focus and client/server architecture, it supports multiple AI providers including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google, while allowing remote operation from various clients.

Warp 2.0 Agentic Environment

Estimated read time: 18 min

Warp 2.0 introduces the first Agentic Development Environment that transforms traditional coding workflows. The platform enables developers to run multiple AI agents simultaneously, features top-tier coding capabilities, and integrates terminal functionality. With impressive benchmarks and real-world success stories, Warp 2.0 represents a major evolution in AI-assisted development.

Void VS Code Fork

Estimated read time: 3 min

Void emerges as an open-source alternative to Cursor, built on VS Code. This new AI-powered code editor offers intelligent features like context-aware autocomplete, inline editing, and multiple chat modes while allowing developers to use their preferred models and maintain data control. It preserves VS Code's familiar environment, supporting existing themes and settings.

SuperClaude Enhancement Framework

Estimated read time: 15 min

SuperClaude introduces a framework that enhances Claude's capabilities with 19 specialized commands and 9 cognitive personas. This open-source tool helps developers streamline AI-assisted development through specialized expertise, token optimization, and evidence-based methodologies, making it particularly valuable for teams building AI-integrated applications.

OAuth MCP Server Template

Estimated read time: 8 min

This Next.js template provides a foundation for building Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers with OAuth authentication. Developers can use it to create custom AI model integrations supporting tools like Claude.ai, VSCode, and Cursor. The implementation includes database integration, authentication flows, and deployment instructions for Vercel.

📰 NEWS & EDITORIALS

Anthropic's Economic Research Initiative

Estimated read time: 6 min

Anthropic has launched a new research program offering grants up to $50,000 to study AI's impact on labor markets and productivity. The program includes API credits for researchers, policy development forums, and economic data tracking, helping developers understand how AI tools are reshaping the software industry and workforce.

GitHub Copilot Goes Agentic

Estimated read time: 7 min

GitHub unveils its vision for agentic workflows in Copilot, transforming it from a simple code assistant into an autonomous developer. The new architecture enables Copilot to independently solve problems, manage multiple tasks, and actively collaborate through features like agent mode and coding agent, while keeping developers in control.

Context Engineering Emerges

Estimated read time: 12 min

LangChain's article introduces context engineering as an essential skill for AI developers, focusing on building dynamic systems that provide LLMs with appropriate information and tools. The concept extends beyond prompt engineering, emphasizing how LangGraph and LangSmith enable developers to control and debug agent context effectively.

MCP's Universal Plugin Evolution

Estimated read time: 8 min

Discover how Model Context Protocol (MCP) is evolving beyond its AI roots into a universal plugin system. Originally designed for AI-context handling, developers are finding that MCP's standardized approach to connecting data sources and tools makes it a versatile protocol for general application interoperability, similar to how USB-C transcended its original purpose.

Thanks for reading, and we will see you next time

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