← Use cases · Coding

AI agents for running an autonomous dev agent in docker

Short answer: OpenHands is an open-source platform for AI software-development agents and runs in Docker. Codex CLI and Claude Code are the lighter terminal alternatives.

Tools for this job

#ToolWhy for this jobAgentPick ScoreLink
#1Claude CodeAnthropic's terminal agent96/100Official source ↗
#2OpenHandsOpen-source dev-agent platform; runs in Docker94/100Official source ↗
#3OpenAI Codex CLILighter terminal agent with worktrees93/100Official source ↗

Ordered by AgentPick Score. Links may become affiliate links; they never change order. Disclosure.

How to do it

  1. Run in a container with only the repo mounted.
  2. Give it an issue with clear acceptance criteria.
  3. Cap time and spend per task.
  4. Review the branch it produces.

Starter prompt

Inside this container, implement issue: [issue]. Acceptance: [criteria]. Run the tests, and stop and report if they still fail after 3 attempts.
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