Plan mode makes Claude Code research and propose a plan first, without touching your files. You review the plan, then approve. It’s the single best habit for non-trivial tasks.
Turn it on
Press Shift + Tab to cycle modes. One of them is Plan mode (the mode indicator
shows it). In Plan mode, Claude reads the code and writes a step-by-step plan instead of
editing.
Or just ask:
Plan this before writing any code.
Approve and execute
When the plan looks right, approve it (the prompt offers to proceed). Claude then implements the plan. If it’s wrong, you edited nothing — just refine and re-plan. Cheap to correct.
When to use it
- Use it for anything touching multiple files, refactors, new features, or unfamiliar code.
- Skip it for one-line fixes or quick questions.
Rule of thumb: if you’d want a junior dev to show you a plan first, ask Claude to plan first. Next: give Claude project memory with CLAUDE.md.