> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.architect.new/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Plan Mode

> While iterating on an app, flip the Plan toggle to think a change through with Architect before building it — then switch back to Build to ship it.

Once your app is built, you don't have to commit to a change the moment it crosses your mind. The chat box has a **Plan** toggle. Flip it on and Architect switches from *doing* to *thinking* — it plans the change, proposes ideas and an approach, and breaks the work down, all **without touching your code**. Flip it off and you're back in **Build** mode, where Architect implements.

Because both modes share the same chat, you can move fluidly between them — plan an idea, build it, plan the next one — toggling as you go without ever losing context.

<Info>
  **Plan Mode vs. Planning & Brainstorming.** Plan Mode is for iterating on an app that **already exists**. To plan and brainstorm *before* your first build, see [Planning & Brainstorming](/build/planning-brainstorming).
</Info>

## How to Use Plan Mode

<Steps>
  <Step title="Flip on the Plan toggle">
    In any app's build chat, find the **Plan** switch at the bottom-left of the message box and turn it on. Your next message will be sent in planning mode instead of build mode.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/lyzr-636197f6/waK5HZo52hovWKdQ/images/plan_mode/plan_mode.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=waK5HZo52hovWKdQ&q=85&s=962bf73f6282f249a5606129c10cce3a" alt="The Plan toggle at the bottom-left of the chat, with Architect returning a 'Planning'-tagged response of feature ideas" width="962" height="1668" data-path="images/plan_mode/plan_mode.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Plan the change with Architect">
    Describe what you're considering — *"what other features can I introduce in my app?"*, *"how would we add authentication?"*, or *"plan a redesign of the dashboard."*

    Architect replies with a **Planning**-tagged answer: feature ideas, scope, trade-offs, and a suggested approach — laid out clearly so you can think it through. Nothing is built yet, so you're free to explore options and refine the idea with follow-up messages.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Switch to Build to ship it">
    Happy with the plan? Toggle **Plan** back off to return to **Build** mode, then ask Architect to go ahead. The plan you just shaped becomes the blueprint for the change, so the build is faster and lands closer to what you intended.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## When to Use Plan Mode

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Scope a big change first" icon="ruler-combined">
    Before a large or risky edit, map out exactly what needs to happen so the build doesn't go sideways.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Brainstorm new features" icon="lightbulb">
    Not sure what to add next? Ask Architect for ideas that fit your app — and pick the ones worth building.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Compare approaches" icon="code-compare">
    Weigh different ways to solve a problem and agree on the direction before any code changes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Avoid wasted builds" icon="circle-check">
    Lock in the plan first so you don't spend a build cycle on a change that wasn't quite right.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  Plan and Build mode share one continuous conversation. Plan an idea, build it, then plan the next — just flip the toggle whenever you want Architect to think before it acts.
</Tip>