The software conductor's handbook aims to help developers transition from manual coding to orchestrating AI agents, focusing on maximizing autonomy for AI software development agents. It highlights the limitations of current approaches and introduces techniques for achieving greater agent autonomy, such as creating detailed 'agent PRDs' (Product Requirements Documents) that include goals, code snippets, and step-by-step implementation details. These documents enable developers to work with AI agents in a more productive and efficient manner, reducing the need for constant human intervention. The guide also emphasizes the importance of isolated development environments to ensure security, resource isolation, and scalability as agent fleets become increasingly common. By adopting these strategies, software conductors can unlock the full potential of their AI agents and drive developer productivity up.