Thinking before typing
Plan mode is a permission mode where Claude can read and research but can't change your files. It's the cheapest possible place to discover that Claude misunderstood you: before any code exists to undo.
Three ways in
- Press Shift+Tab until the status bar shows
⏸ plan mode on. - Start a prompt with
/plan, as in/plan migrate the date utils to Temporal. - Launch in it:
claude --permission-mode plan.
Reviewing a plan like a senior engineer
When Claude presents a plan, interrogate it:
- Scope: Is it doing more than you asked? Less?
- Order: Does it change the riskiest thing last, behind tests?
- Verification: How will each step be checked? If the plan has no tests, ask for them.
- Unknowns: What did Claude assume? Ask: "What are you least sure about?"
Press Ctrl+G to open the plan in your editor. Delete steps, reorder them, add constraints, then save. It's often faster than describing changes in chat.
Approval options
When you approve, you also choose how execution runs:
| Option | What happens next |
|---|---|
| Yes, and use auto mode | Claude executes with background safety checks and few prompts. Best for well-scoped plans. |
| Yes, manually approve edits | You approve each edit. Best for sensitive code or when you're learning the codebase. |
| No, keep planning | Stay in plan mode and keep refining. |
When to plan (and when not to)
A good rule: if you couldn't describe the diff in one sentence, plan first.
Which flag starts a session directly in plan mode? Type the full command.
Check your understanding
What can Claude NOT do in plan mode?
What does Ctrl+G do while reviewing a plan?
Which approval option fits a sensitive change in unfamiliar code?
A good rule of thumb for planning is: