# What does human-in-the-loop mean for coding agents?

Canonical: https://perched.fyi/glossary/human-in-the-loop/
Updated: 2026-10-23

Human-in-the-loop describes a workflow in which a person makes a decision at a defined point in an automated process. A coding-agent tool approval is one such point.

## A person supplies the decision

An agent may propose a command, ask a product question or present a plan. The person checks the scope and chooses whether or how to continue.

In Perch, answering is off by default. When enabled, Perch presents supported requests and sends the response you choose. It does not auto-approve a request or compose the decision for you.


## Keep enough context to review

A visible button is not enough context on its own. Check the project, the proposed action and the reason. If you need the rest of the conversation, return to the agent.

Perch’s two-second undo corrects a mistaken input during Sending. It does not replace careful review or undo actions already performed by the agent.


## Related reading
- [Keep a human decision in the coding-agent loop](https://perched.fyi/blog/human-in-the-loop-coding/)
- [Approve, answer and reply from Perch](https://perched.fyi/guides/answering-agents/)