Day 03 of 21
Plan Mode - make Claude think before it builds
Goal: Claude Code has a mode where it can only plan, not build. Today you learn why this one switch prevents the most expensive mistakes non-developers make.
What to do
Open Claude Code in your project
Open your terminal, navigate to your my-first-site folder, and start Claude Code:
claudeTurn on Plan Mode
Press Shift + Tab once to move from default to accept edits, then press it once more to reach Plan Mode. You will see the mode indicator at the bottom of the screen change. On Windows, if Shift + Tab does not work, try Alt + M instead.
Type a prompt and receive a plan
With Plan Mode active, type this prompt exactly:
Add a navigation bar to my homepage with links to Home, About, and Contact. The navigation should be at the top of the page. Match the existing style.Read the plan before approving
Read through what Claude Code wrote. Look for: which files it plans to change, what it plans to add to each one, and whether anything looks unexpected. If something looks wrong, type your concern before approving.
Approve the plan and watch it build
When you are happy with the plan, approve it using Claude Code’s on-screen option. If you are unsure, choose the option that reviews each edit manually or uses normal permission prompts. If Claude Code expects a typed approval, type:
go aheadExpected result
You turned on Plan Mode, Claude Code wrote a full plan before touching any file, you approved it, and it built the navigation bar as described in the plan.
Key takeaway
- Plan Mode stops Claude Code from acting until you approve the plan. Use it before any change that touches more than one thing because it prevents most of the expensive beginner mistakes.