What are Agent Boundaries?

The "No Boundaries" Risk

Without boundaries, an AI agent treats your entire repository as a playground. A request to "fix a styling bug" might result in the agent:

• Modifying your database schema.
• Updating sensitive dependencies.
• Deleting "unused" files that were actually critical.
• Exposed production environment variables.

The Three Types of Boundaries

1. Spatial Boundaries (Scope)

Explicitly defining which directories the agent can read and modify. Example: "Allowed: /src/components/, Forbidden: /server/, /database/, .env"

2. Operational Boundaries (Permissions)

Defining which actions the agent can perform. Example: "Can create files, cannot delete files, cannot run npm install without human approval."

3. Decision Boundaries (Authority)

Defining which types of architectural choices the agent can make. Example: "Agent can implement UI logic but must stop at a checkpoint for any changes to state management patterns."

Implementing Boundaries

In Clean Vibe Code, we implement boundaries through:

• .cursor/agent-rules.yml: A configuration file that enforces scope.
• Clean Agent Prompts: Specifying the "safe zone" for each task.
• Checkpointing: Mandatory human approval gates at the boundary edge.

Why Boundaries Enable Speed

It seems counter-intuitive, but boundaries actually make you faster. When you know an agent cannot break your database or your security logic, you can delegate implementation tasks with much higher confidence and less cognitive load during review.

Related Terms

• Clean Agents: Agents operating with boundaries.
• Over-Delegation: The result of missing boundaries.
• Checkpoint: The enforcement point for boundaries.

Book Reference

Agent Boundaries are the core solution in Part IV:

• Chapter 14: Clean Agents — how to define and enforce boundaries.
• Appendix C: Templates for agent boundary configurations.