Multi-file edit
A single agent action that modifies several files in one logical change — for example, renaming a function across imports, refactoring a component and its tests together, or applying a codemod. Distinguishes modern coding agents from per-file autocompletion.
Background
Multi-file edits are how agents reach beyond what autocomplete or chat-based assistants can do. The agent identifies the dependency graph, plans the change set, and applies coordinated edits — usually with a diff preview the user can approve in one step. Cursor's Composer, Windsurf's Cascade, Claude Code, and Aider all support multi-file edits as a first-class concept. Quality depends on the agent's ability to read related files without exhausting context.
Tools that use it
- 01→Aider
Open-source CLI coding agent that pair-programs in your terminal and commits to git automatically.
- 02→Claude Code
Anthropic's official CLI agent for Claude — runs in the terminal, edits files, executes commands, and ships PRs.
- 03→Windsurf
AI code editor by Codeium with Cascade agent for autonomous multi-step coding tasks.
- 04→Cursor
AI code editor forked from VS Code with built-in agent, multi-file edits, and tab-completion.