The ongoing transition of Large Language Models in software engineering from one-shot code generators into agentic partners requires a shift in how we define and measure success. While models are becoming more capable, the industry lacks a clear understanding of the behavioral norms that make an interactive SWE agent effective in collaborative software development in the enterprise. This work addresses this gap by presenting a taxonomy of desirable SWE agent behaviors, synthesized from 91 sets of developer-defined rules for SWE agents and validated through interviewing 15 experienced professional developers. In this taxonomy, we identify four core expectations: Adhere to Standards and Processes, Ensure Code Quality and Reliability, Solve Problems Effectively, and Collaborate with the Developer. These findings offer a concrete vocabulary for aligning SWE agent behavior with developer preferences, enabling researchers and practitioners to move beyond correctness-only benchmarks and start designing evaluations that reflect the socio-technical nature of professional software development in enterprises.
Xin Zhao Seattle University, Brian Vu Seattle University, US, Sitesh Pattanaik Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, University of California, Irvine, US
