Lesson 1.1 · Meet Devin · 1 of 8
What Devin is, and what it is not
Devin is an AI software engineer that writes, runs and tests code on its own machine. This lesson covers what that means in practice and what still stays with you.
By Trevor Lowing, Devin Ambassador
Checked against Devin's documentation on 2026-11-12
After this lesson you can
- Say in one sentence what Devin is
- Name the three tools Devin works with in a cloud session
- Explain what stays your job when Devin does the work
Most AI coding tools help you type. Devin is built to take the whole task.
Read the steps as text
- You describe the task. In the web app, in Slack or Microsoft Teams, or through the API.
- Devin works on its own machine. A cloud virtual machine with a shell, a code editor and a browser.
- Devin checks its work. It runs the code and the tests instead of guessing.
- You review the result. Usually a pull request. A person decides whether it merges.
- You describe the task. In the web app, in Slack or Microsoft Teams, or through the API.
- Devin works on its own machine. A cloud virtual machine with a shell, a code editor and a browser.
- Devin checks its work. It runs the code and the tests instead of guessing.
- You review the result. Usually a pull request. A person decides whether it merges.
The one-sentence version
Cognition’s docs define Devin as “an autonomous AI software engineer that can write, run and test code.” The important word is run. Devin does not only suggest code. It executes it, reads what happened and tries again.
Where the work happens
In the cloud product, Devin runs in a virtual machine that Cognition hosts. You talk to it in the web app at app.devin.ai, which the docs describe as a conversational interface. While it works you can watch three tools:
- Shell: the terminal where Devin runs commands, with the output.
- IDE: an embedded code editor. You can follow along here, or take over and edit yourself.
- Browser: Devin reads documentation and tests the web apps it builds.
You can also start work by tagging Devin in a Slack or Microsoft Teams thread, or through the Devin API.
What comes back
In Agent mode, Devin writes code, runs commands and creates pull requests. So the usual result of a session is a pull request in your repository, ready for review like one from any teammate.
What Devin is not
- Not autocomplete. You hand it a task and an end goal, not a half-typed line.
- Not a replacement for review. Cognition’s best-practice guide says each finished piece of work should get human review before it is merged.
- Not a mind reader. The docs stress clear instructions and a way to check success. Lesson 2.3 covers how to write a task Devin can finish.
Next
Devin now comes in more than one form: the cloud agent, a desktop editor and a command-line tool. The next lesson sorts out which is which.
Check what you learned
3 questions. Nothing is recorded.
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Show the answer
An autonomous AI software engineer that can write, run and test code. The docs call Devin “an autonomous AI software engineer that can write, run and test code.” It does the task, not just the typing.
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Show the answer
A shell, a code editor and a browser. Devin's workspace has a shell for commands, an embedded code editor and a browser.
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Show the answer
A person reviews it. Cognition's best-practice guide says each finished piece of work should get human review before it is merged into the main branch.
Sources
- Introducing Devin — docs.devin.ai
- Your first session — docs.devin.ai
- Devin CLI — docs.devin.ai
- Best practices — docs.devin.ai
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