Plan-First Workflows

Plan-first workflows leverage Plan Mode, a read-only execution mode where Verdent analyzes code, conducts research, and creates detailed plans before executing any changes. This workflow separates strategic planning from implementation, enabling review and refinement before committing to code modifications.

What You'll Learn

When and how to use Plan Mode effectively
Review, iterate, and approve generated plans
Transition smoothly from planning to execution

Plan Mode Overview

Plan Mode is a read-only execution mode where Verdent analyzes code, conducts research, and creates detailed plans before executing any changes. This workflow separates strategic planning from implementation.

When to Use Plan Mode

Complex multi-file changes requiring coordination
Uncertainty about the best implementation approach
High-stakes changes to production-critical code
Tasks in unfamiliar codebases where exploration is needed
Strategic planning needs requiring approval before execution

AI-Assisted Task Breakdown

Verdent automatically decomposes complex requests into manageable, sequential steps.

Breakdown Process

Request Analysis

Verdent analyzes your natural language request to identify:

Primary objective and desired outcome
Affected files, components, or systems
Required technical operations and dependencies
Potential complexity factors

Codebase Context

Verdent examines your project structure to understand:

Existing architecture and established patterns
File organization and technology stack
Current implementations requiring modification

Task Decomposition

Verdent breaks the request into logical subtasks:

Identifies natural breakpoints and implementation phases
Orders tasks by dependency (prerequisite tasks first)
Groups related operations together
Estimates scope and complexity of each subtask

Interactive Clarification

Verdent may ask questions to refine the breakdown:

"Should I modify the existing validation or create a new validator?"
"Do you want to update tests for all affected components?"
"Should this change apply to both web and mobile components?"

Breakdown Characteristics

Tasks sized for 15-45 minutes of focused work
Natural breakpoints for testing and validation
Complex enough to be meaningful, simple enough to execute

Dependencies respected (setup before implementation)
Logical progression (data layer to business logic to UI)
Verification steps after major phases

Plan Review and Approval

Plan Interaction Options

After reviewing the generated plan, Verdent presents two options:

Edit:

Choose this option to:

Request specific changes to the plan approach
Ask clarifying questions about implementation details
Add missing elements or considerations
Simplify or expand certain steps
Explore alternative approaches

Build:

Choose this option to:

Switch to Agent Mode and begin execution
Implement the approved plan with full autonomy
Make file modifications and execute commands as planned

Use Edit to iterate on the plan as many times as needed. Only choose Build when you're confident the approach is correct.

Iterative Planning

Plan rejection is a natural part of the iterative planning process:

Verdent generates a new plan based on your feedback
Previous plan versions remain in chat history for reference
No code changes occur (Plan Mode is read-only)
You can iterate unlimited times until satisfied

Plan Mode cannot accidentally modify your code. It's designed for safe exploration and strategy development.

Incremental Execution

Execute plans in phases rather than all at once by manually controlling execution through chat instructions.

Manual Phase Control

After reviewing a plan, exit Plan Mode and instruct Verdent to execute specific phases:

Let's start with Phase 1 first, then we'll review before continuing
Implement steps 1-3, then stop for review
Do the database migration first, I'll review before the API changes

Incremental Workflow

Review Plan

Review the generated plan in Plan Mode

Exit Plan Mode

Switch to Agent Mode using Switch Mode or keyboard shortcut

Instruct Phase Execution

Tell Verdent which phase or steps to execute first

Review Results

Check completed work before continuing

Continue or Adjust

Instruct Verdent to proceed with next phase or modify approach

Best for: High-risk changes, unfamiliar patterns, production-critical code where phased rollout reduces risk.

FAQs

Does Plan Mode actually write any code to my files?

No. Plan Mode is strictly read-only:

Verdent can read files, search code, and analyze your codebase
No file writes, edits, or deletions occur during Plan Mode
Plans are displayed in the chat view only
Code execution begins only after you explicitly approve and switch to Agent Mode

Safety guarantee: Plan Mode cannot accidentally modify your code.

Can I use Plan Mode for multiple projects simultaneously?

Yes. In Desktop, each project maintains independent Plan Mode state:

Plans are project-specific
Switching projects preserves each project's planning context
You can have different plans in progress across projects

What happens if Verdent asks clarifying questions during planning?

Clarifying questions improve plan quality:

Why questions are asked:

Ambiguous requirements need clarification
Multiple valid approaches exist
Edge cases or constraints not specified
Preferences not clear from initial request

How to respond:

Answer directly in conversational language
Provide examples if helpful
Say "your choice" if you trust Verdent's judgment
Ask counter-questions if you're unsure

Questions help Verdent generate accurate, relevant plans tailored to your needs.