Plan mode in Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Lovable and Bolt: how to use it (with 6 prompts)
Short answer: plan mode makes the AI read your project, ask questions and write a step-by-step plan before it changes any code. You review or edit the plan, then approve it and it builds. In Cursor and Claude Code press Shift+Tab; in Codex and Copilot type /plan; in Lovable and Bolt pick Plan next to the chat box. Use it for anything big or unclear, and skip it for small, obvious fixes.
How to turn on plan mode in each tool
| Tool | Turn it on | What it does | When you approve | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Press Shift+Tab in the chat input until Plan shows, or pick Plan in the mode picker. Cursor also suggests it when your prompt sounds like a big task. | Asks clarifying questions, researches your code, and writes a plan you can edit in chat or as a Markdown file. | Click to build the plan. Plans save in your home folder; Save to workspace keeps one in the project. | The docs suggest skipping it for quick, familiar changes. |
| Claude Code | Press Shift+Tab until the status bar shows ⏸ plan mode on, or start with claude --permission-mode plan. | Reads files and runs shell commands to explore, then writes a plan. It doesn't edit your source while planning. | Edits stay blocked until you approve the plan. | The Shift+Tab cycle is Manual, then accept edits, then plan. |
| Codex (CLI) | Type /plan, optionally followed by your prompt. | Proposes an execution plan before implementation starts. | Answer its questions or approve, then let it build. /copy (or Ctrl+O) copies the latest plan text. | /goal is a separate command for a longer-running target. |
| GitHub Copilot (VS Code) | Use the Plan agent: type /plan plus the outcome, constraints and how you'll check it works. | Researches the project, asks clarifying questions, and shows a Review Plan card with steps, files and checks. | Pick Implement Plan, Approve Plan Only, Implement with Autopilot or Reject. Submit Feedback asks for changes first. | Approving the plan and approving tool actions are separate decisions. |
| Lovable | Open the mode picker next to the chat input and choose Plan. | Investigates your project, often asks questions, and writes a plan in the Plan view that you can edit or comment on. It never changes your code. | Approve switches to Build mode and starts building. Skip moves on without it. | Each Plan message costs 1 credit, plus any research Lovable runs. The plan is saved to .lovable/plan.md. |
| Bolt | Click Plan in the bottom-right of the chatbox (it turns blue). You can also start a new project in Plan Mode from the homepage. | Plans, answers questions and debugs without changing code, and can search the web for current docs. | Use the Implement this plan button, which switches to Build Mode. Click Plan again to turn it off. | Bolt says it saves tokens. It replaced Discussion Mode, which Bolt retired on Aug 3, 2026. |
When to use plan mode (and when to skip it)
Use it for:
- A new app or a big feature with more than one sensible way to build it.
- Changes that touch many files, the database, login or payments.
- Bugs where you don't know the cause yet.
- Anything you'd like to read and approve before it happens.
Skip it for small, clear changes ("make the button blue", "fix this typo"). Cursor's docs say jumping straight to Agent mode is fine for quick changes and tasks you've done many times. In Lovable each Plan message costs a credit, so a plan for a one-line change isn't worth it.
6 plan mode prompts to copy
These are plain English, so they work in all six tools. Switch to plan mode first, then paste.
1. Plan a new app (first prompt)
I want to build: [one sentence: what it is and who it's for].
Before writing any code:
1. Ask me up to 3 questions about anything that's unclear.
2. Then write a plan with 5 to 8 small steps. Each step should be something I can test in the browser.
3. For each step, list the files you expect to change.
4. Say what you will NOT build in the first version.
I'm new to coding, so keep it simple and use plain English. Don't start building until I approve the plan.Get a free starter kit: the Discord Bot Builder ($6)
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Works in every tool on this page. The questions step is what makes plan mode worth it: it catches the thing you forgot to say before it costs you a rebuild.
2. Plan one new feature
Plan how to add [feature, e.g. a "forgot password" link] to this project.
- Reuse the components and patterns already in the project.
- List every file you'd change and why.
- Tell me what could break, and how I can test that it still works.
- Keep everything else exactly as it is.
Don't change any files yet."Keep everything else exactly as it is" stops the plan from quietly growing into a redesign.
3. Find a bug before fixing it
Something is broken: [what you did], [what you expected], [what happened instead].
Here's the exact error: [paste it].
Investigate first. Tell me the most likely cause in plain English, how sure you are, and the smallest fix.
If you need more information, tell me exactly what to check or paste. Don't change any code yet.Lovable and Bolt both list debugging as a main use for plan mode. You approve the fix before any credits or tokens go to building it.
4. Compare two ways to do it
What's the best way to [goal, e.g. let users upload a profile photo] in this project?
Give me 2 or 3 options with the tradeoffs (cost, difficulty, what could go wrong), recommend one,
then write the plan for the one you recommend.Close to Lovable's own example prompt for comparing approaches.
5. Security check, then a plan
Review this project for security problems a beginner might miss: secret keys in the code,
database tables anyone can read or change, pages that should need a login, and missing input checks.
List what you find in priority order, then plan the fixes. Don't change any files yet.Pairs with our 12-point security checklist.
6. Start over from the plan
That build didn't match what I wanted. I've undone the changes.
Here's what was wrong: [what you didn't like].
Update the plan so it's more specific about this, show me the new plan, and wait for my OK before building.Cursor's docs recommend exactly this: revert, tighten the plan and run it again instead of patching a bad build with follow-up prompts.
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Before you click approve: a 4-point check
Based on GitHub's checklist for reviewing Copilot plans, but it works for any tool:
- Scope. Does it solve what you asked, and nothing extra?
- Fits your project. Does it name real files and reuse what's already there, or is it a generic to-do list?
- Decisions. Are guesses and open questions written down? Answer them now, not halfway through the build.
- Testing. Does each step say how you'll know it works without breaking something else?
If any answer is no, ask for changes in chat (or edit the plan directly in Cursor, Lovable and Copilot) before approving.
Two ways plan mode saves money
- Plan with a strong model, build with a cheaper one. VS Code's docs suggest a capable reasoning model for planning and a lower-cost model for building the approved plan, while warning that retries can cancel out the savings.
- Fix the plan, not the build. A wrong plan caught before building costs one message. A wrong build fixed with follow-up prompts can cost many, which is where Lovable credits and Bolt tokens disappear (see Lovable credits and Bolt tokens explained).
Plan mode vs a rules file
Plan mode is something you turn on for one task. A rules file (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, Cursor rules or Lovable Knowledge) is read on every task. Put the habit in your rules file so the AI plans on its own when it matters, even if you forget to switch modes:
## Plan before big changes
- For anything that touches more than 2 files, the database, login or payments:
write a short plan first (steps, files, how I can test it) and wait for my OK.
- For small, obvious fixes, just do it and tell me what changed.Full templates: AGENTS.md examples, CLAUDE.md examples, Cursor rules examples, or make one in a minute with the rules generator.
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Related
- Vibe coding prompts cheat sheet (21 prompts for any tool)
- Custom slash commands guide (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Copilot + 7 command files)
- Bolt prompts (18 prompts, including Plan Mode)
- Lovable prompts that work
- AGENTS.md examples (8 templates)
- CLAUDE.md examples
- Vibe coding security checklist (12 checks before you launch)
Sources
- Cursor docs: Plan Mode
- Claude Code docs: Choose a permission mode (plan mode)
- Claude Code docs: Common workflows (Plan before editing)
- Codex docs: CLI commands and slash commands (/plan, /copy)
- VS Code docs: Plan work with agents (Copilot /plan)
- Lovable docs: Plan mode
- Bolt docs: Plan Mode
- Bolt release notes (Discussion Mode retired)
Checked Oct 24, 2026. These tools change often; if something here no longer matches, tell us at [email protected].