Planning Mode
Planning Mode is a powerful feature that separates research and analysis from execution. Instead of immediately making changes, the AI first creates a detailed implementation plan that you can review, edit, and approve before any code is modified.Why Use Planning Mode?
Safety
Review changes before they happen. No surprises.
Clarity
Understand the full scope of changes upfront.
Control
Edit and refine the plan before execution.
Efficiency
Catch issues early, before code is written.
Comparison Across Tools
| Feature | Cursor | Windsurf | Claude Code | Gemini CLI | Codex |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activation | Shift+Tab | Toggle button | Shift+Tab (2x) | Custom prompt | /plan |
| Plan Storage | .cursor/plans/ | ~/.codeium/windsurf/brain/ | In-memory | GEMINI.md | Session |
| Read-Only Mode | β | β | β | β | β |
| Editable Plans | β Markdown | β Markdown | β | β | β |
| Todo Lists | β | β | β | β | β |
| Queued Messages | β | β | β | β | β |
| Availability | All plans | Pro/Teams/Enterprise | All | All | All |
Cursor Plan Mode
Cursorβs Plan Mode creates detailed implementation plans before writing any code. The agent researches your codebase, asks clarifying questions, and generates a reviewable plan.How to Activate
PressShift+Tab from the chat input to rotate to Plan Mode. Cursor also suggests it automatically for complex tasks.
How It Works
- Agent asks clarifying questions to understand your requirements
- Researches your codebase to gather relevant context
- Creates a comprehensive implementation plan
- You review and edit the plan through chat or markdown files
- Click to build the plan when ready
Plan Storage
Plans open as ephemeral virtual files. To save a plan to your workspace, click βSave to workspaceβ to store it in.cursor/plans/ for future reference, team sharing, and documentation.
Agent To-Dos
Cursor can break down longer tasks into manageable steps with dependencies:- Agent automatically creates to-do lists for complex tasks
- Each item can have dependencies on other tasks
- The list updates in real-time as work progresses
- Completed tasks are marked off automatically
Queued Messages
Queue follow-up messages while Agent is working:- While Agent is working, type your next instruction
- Press
Ctrl+Enterto add it to the queue - Messages appear in order below the active task
- Agent processes them sequentially after finishing
Windsurf Planning Mode
Windsurfβs Planning Mode uses persistent markdown files for long-term AI planning. A specialized planning agent continuously refines the plan while your selected model focuses on execution.How to Activate
Click the Planning Mode toggle button below the Cascade input box. Planning Mode is enabled by default for Pro, Teams, and Enterprise users.How It Works
- Enable Planning Mode via the toggle button
- Cascade creates a plan in a persistent markdown file
- Review and edit the plan directly or ask Cascade to update it
- Cascade executes based on the approved plan
- Plan updates automatically as new information (like Memories) is discovered
Plan Storage
Plans are saved in~/.codeium/windsurf/brain/ directory, so they wonβt be checked into your repository.
Plans and Todo Lists
Cascade has built-in planning capabilities:- A specialized planning agent continuously refines the long-term plan
- Your selected model focuses on short-term actions based on that plan
- Cascade creates a Todo list within the conversation to track progress
- Ask Cascade to make updates to the Todo list as needed
Queued Messages
While waiting for Cascade to finish:- Type your message and press
Enterto queue it - Press
Enteragain on an empty text box to send immediately - Delete any message from the queue before itβs sent
Claude Code Plan Mode
Claude Codeβs Plan Mode separates research and analysis from execution, significantly improving safety. When activated, Claude will not edit files, run commands, or change anything until you approve the plan.How to Activate
PressShift+Tab twice to enter Plan Mode. Press Shift+Tab again to exit.
How It Works
- Activate Plan Mode with
Shift+Tabtwice - Claude researches your codebase (read-only)
- Creates a structured plan with numbered steps
- You review and approve the plan
- Exit Plan Mode and Claude executes
Available Tools in Plan Mode
Allowed (Read-Only):Read- Files and content viewingLS- Directory listingsGlob- File pattern searchesGrep- Content searchesTask- Research agentsTodoRead/TodoWrite- Task managementWebFetch- Web content analysisWebSearch- Web searchesNotebookRead- Jupyter notebooks
Edit/MultiEdit- File editsWrite- File creationBash- Command executionNotebookEdit- Notebook edits- MCP tools that modify state
Opus 4.5 Plan Mode
Enhanced interactive planning with Claude Opus 4.5:- You describe the task with requirements and context
- Claude asks clarifying questions about ambiguous requirements
- Claude creates
plan.mdwith task breakdown and dependencies - You review and edit the plan as needed
- Claude executes using Sonnet 4.5
/model command: βUse Opus 4.5 in plan mode, Sonnet 4.5 otherwiseβ
Gemini CLI Plan Mode
Gemini CLI can operate in Plan Mode through custom instructions in yourGEMINI.md file. This makes Gemini act like a senior engineer: understand the request, investigate the codebase, and present a clear plan for approval.
How to Activate
Add Plan Mode instructions to yourGEMINI.md file:
Output Format
Your plan should include:- Analysis: Findings and reasoning behind your strategy
- Plan: Numbered list of precise implementation steps
- Approval Request: Final step asking for user confirmation
Best Practices
- Keep the plan focused and actionable
- Include file paths and specific changes
- Note dependencies between steps
- Estimate complexity for each step
OpenAI Codex Plan Mode
Codex CLI includes a/plan slash command for creating implementation plans. It also supports approval modes that control how much Codex can do without confirmation.
How to Activate
Use the/plan slash command in the interactive session, or use the --approval flag when launching.
Approval Modes
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto (default) | Read, edit, and run commands within working directory |
| Read Only | Browse files but wonβt make changes until you approve |
| Full Access | Work across your machine without asking |
/approvals inside an interactive session.
How It Works
- Launch Codex with
codexcommand - Use
/planto enter planning mode - Codex explains its plan before making changes
- Approve or reject steps inline
- Review transcript of all actions
Resuming Plans
Codex stores transcripts locally for resuming:PraisonAI Planning Mode
PraisonAI Agents includes a comprehensive Planning Mode that creates detailed implementation plans before execution, similar to Cursor, Windsurf, and Claude Code.Quick Start - Single Agent (Simplest) π
Enable planning for any single agent with just one parameter:- π Agent creates a multi-step plan using PlanningAgent
- π Executes each step sequentially
- π Shows progress with context passing between steps
- β Returns final result
Quick Start - Multi-Agent
Enable planning with multiple agents:Advanced Usage - Manual Control
Read-Only Mode for Agents
Plan Storage
Plans are stored as markdown files in.praison/plans/:
Plan File Format
Approval Flow
Complete Example: Plan and Execute
API Reference
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
PlanningAgent | Creates implementation plans using LLM |
Plan | Represents an implementation plan with steps |
PlanStep | A single step in a plan |
TodoList | Track progress through plan steps |
TodoItem | A single todo item |
PlanStorage | Persist plans to .praison/plans/ |
ApprovalCallback | Handle plan approval flow |
Configuration Options
Agent Parameters (Single Agent Planning)
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
planning | bool | False | Enable planning mode |
planning_tools | List | None | Tools for planning research |
planning_reasoning | bool | False | Enable chain-of-thought reasoning |
plan_mode | bool | False | Read-only mode (restricts to safe tools) |
PraisonAIAgents Parameters (Multi-Agent Planning)
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
planning | bool | False | Enable planning mode |
planning_llm | str | "gpt-4o-mini" | LLM for planning |
planning_tools | List | None | Tools for planning research |
planning_reasoning | bool | False | Enable chain-of-thought reasoning |
auto_approve_plan | bool | False | Auto-approve plans |
Best Practices
Start with clear requirements
Start with clear requirements
Describe your end goal clearly. The AI creates more accurate plans when it understands the full scope.
Review before approving
Review before approving
Always review the generated plan. Check for missing steps, incorrect assumptions, or potential issues.
Edit plans iteratively
Edit plans iteratively
Donβt hesitate to ask for plan modifications. Itβs cheaper to fix a plan than to fix code.
Use for complex tasks
Use for complex tasks
Planning mode shines for multi-step tasks. For simple changes, direct execution may be faster.
Save important plans
Save important plans
Save plans to your workspace for documentation, team sharing, and future reference.

