Overview
This lecture introduces Plan Mode in Claude Code, highlighting its safety, consistency, and efficiency improvements, especially when using Opus Plan Mode for intelligent, cost-effective workflow management.
Plan Mode Fundamentals
- Plan Mode separates research and planning from execution, ensuring no changes are made without user approval.
- Activate Plan Mode by pressing
shift+tab twice; deactivate by pressing shift+tab again.
- Claude presents a plan for approval before any files are edited or commands executed.
Workflow Improvements: Before vs After Plan Mode
- Previously, users requested suggestions instead of code, but results were inconsistent and unpredictable.
- Plan Mode enforces structured, clearly formatted, and concise plans for greater predictability and reliability.
- Plans now include step-by-step options with clear benefits, making review and decision-making easier.
Opus Plan Mode: Intelligent and Efficient Planning
- Opus Plan Mode uses Opus 4.1 for advanced planning and Sonnet 4 for cost-effective execution.
- This hybrid model offers high intelligence for analysis and research, while controlling operational costs.
- Enable Opus Plan Mode via
/model command, option 4: “Use Opus 4.1 in plan mode, Sonnet 4 otherwise.”
Available and Restricted Tools in Plan Mode
- Claude has access to read-only tools: Read, LS, Glob, Grep, Task, TodoRead/TodoWrite, WebFetch, WebSearch, NotebookRead.
- Editing, writing, and execution tools (Edit, MultiEdit, Write, Bash, NotebookEdit, state-changing MCP tools) are restricted in Plan Mode.
- Research and analysis are performed safely until user approval is given.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Plan Mode — A feature that separates planning from execution, preventing changes until user approval.
- Opus Plan Mode — Uses Opus for planning and Sonnet 4 for execution to balance power and cost.
- Read-only tools — Tools used for viewing, searching, and researching without modifying content.
- Restricted tools — Tools that can modify files or run commands, disabled in Plan Mode.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice activating and deactivating Plan Mode using the keyboard shortcut.
- Explore enabling Opus Plan Mode via the
/model command, option 4.
- Review available and restricted tools in Plan Mode for safe workflow setup.