Plan Mode & Ask Mode — Composer & Agent Mode
Plan Mode & Ask Mode
Think Before You Build
The unified agent input has a mode picker - press Shift+Tab to rotate between the four core modes (Agent, Plan, Debug, and Ask), or use the dropdown / Ctrl+. menu (plus pinned Custom Modes). Choosing the right mode separates what the AI may do from which model runs.
Plan Mode
In Plan Mode, the agent doesn't write code. Instead it:
- Researches your codebase - reads the relevant files and understands the architecture
- Asks clarifying questions when the requirements are ambiguous
- Generates a structured plan you can review and edit before anything runs
Plans are saved to your home directory by default, with a "Save to workspace" option to keep them in the repo. Once you approve the plan, the agent executes it step by step.
Debug Mode
Debug Mode specializes in elusive, hard-to-reproduce bugs: instead of guessing a patch immediately, the agent systematically instruments runtime logs, inspects stack traces, and gathers execution evidence to prove its hypothesis before editing files.
Ask Mode
Ask Mode is read-only: the agent can search and read your codebase but cannot modify files or run state-changing commands. It's the safe mode for onboarding onto an unfamiliar codebase, architecture discussions, and code archaeology.
Choosing a Mode
| Situation | Mode | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small, well-defined change | Agent | Just do it - checkpoints have your back |
| Large feature or refactor | Plan | Align on approach before spending compute |
| Tricky runtime or race-condition bug | Debug | Systematic log instrumentation & hypothesis verification |
| "How does X work?" | Ask | Zero risk of accidental modifications |
Before letting Agent Mode edit files, Plan Mode analyzes requirements and outputs a structured execution plan. Scaffold a plan document.