# Plan & Build Modes

The agent works in two modes. **Build mode** makes changes directly, and **Plan mode** agrees on an approach with you before any code is written. Build is the default and the fastest way to iterate; Plan is worth reaching for on bigger or riskier changes.

## Build mode

In **Build mode**, the agent reads your prompt and starts working right away: it plans the work, writes the code, installs what it needs, and runs the app, showing each step in the chat. This is the default, and it's the right choice for most prompts, especially small, clear changes where you'd rather just see the result.

You don't have to turn anything on. Open a project, describe what you want, and the agent builds it in your app.

## Plan mode

In **Plan mode**, the agent holds off on writing code. Instead it thinks through your request and proposes a plan: what it intends to do and how, laid out for you to read. Nothing changes in your app until you approve it.

This is useful when:

- The change is large or touches several parts of the app.
- You want to confirm the approach before spending credits building it.
- You're not sure the agent has understood the goal and want to check its thinking first.
- A change is risky and you'd like to agree on the direction before anything moves.

### Turning On Plan mode

Click **the Plus button** in the composer and choose **Plan**, or press `⇧` `Tab` to toggle modes. A green **Plan** pill appears in the composer to show the mode is on. Then send your prompt as usual, and the agent responds with a plan rather than a finished change.

> [!TIP]
> `⇧` `Tab` flips between Plan and Build, so you can switch in a keystroke without reaching for the menu. To leave Plan mode, you can also remove the **Plan** pill from the composer.

### Reviewing and Approving a Plan

When the agent finishes planning, it presents the plan in the chat and asks **"Would you like to approve this plan?"** You have a few choices:

- **Approve it**: Choose **Yes, approve the plan** and **Confirm**, and the agent switches into Build mode and carries the plan out.
- **Ask for changes**: Choose **Type what to change**, describe what you'd like different, then **Confirm**. The agent revises the plan and asks again.
- **Dismiss it**: If you've changed your mind, choose **Dismiss** and the agent stops without making changes.

Reading the plan first is the whole point of the mode, so take a moment with it. If anything looks off, it's better for credit usage to correct the plan than to build the wrong thing and redo it.

> [!NOTE]
> Approving a plan automatically switches you back to **Build mode**, so the agent can execute it. Your next prompt runs directly in Build mode unless you turn Plan mode on again.

## Switching Between Modes

You're never locked into a mode. Switch with `⇧` `Tab` or **the Plus button** before sending a prompt, as often as you like. A natural rhythm is to plan the big, structural changes and build the small ones directly:

1. **Plan the big change**: Turn on **Plan mode** for a significant new feature and review the plan.
2. **Approve it**: The agent switches into **Build mode**, carries the plan out, and leaves you in Build mode.
3. **Iterate directly**: Make a string of small tweaks directly in Build mode.
4. **Plan again when needed**: Reach for Plan mode again when the next big change comes up.