Plan a change before Cursor builds it

Use Plan Mode to review scope, affected files, and checks before implementation.

Before you start

• An existing project open in Cursor with a saved baseline.
• A change request with a visible result, such as a new FAQ section.

Want to do it yourself?

Difficulty

5 out of 10

Estimated completion time

45–90 minutes

Skills you’ll need: Describe acceptance criteria, review a file-level plan, and compare the implementation on phone and desktop.

I’ll do it myselfI’d rather get help

How this helps your brand

Review a website change before implementation begins. An agreed plan makes missing content and scope changes easier to catch, so you spend less time correcting work that missed the original request.

1. 1

   Step 1: Describe the customer result

   Write what visitors should be able to see or do, plus the parts of the site that must stay consistent. Supply approved content instead of letting the agent invent business claims.

   Include the page and a small acceptance checklist. For an FAQ, specify the exact questions and whether answers expand or remain visible.

2. 2

   Step 2: Switch to Plan Mode

   Use the mode picker in Agent, or Shift+Tab from chat, to select Plan Mode. Ask for the smallest implementation plan for your request.

   Read the proposed files and open questions. Confirm the agent has found existing components before it proposes a replacement.

   Illustrated exampleFrom request to a checkable result

   1. 01Define the result
   2. 02Review Plan Mode
   3. 03Build accepted scope

3. 3

   Step 3: Refine the plan

   Remove unrelated cleanup and identify how the result will be checked on a phone and desktop. Resolve any missing copy or interaction decision.

   Plans are saved in your home directory by default; use Save to workspace if you want the plan in the project. Review it before starting implementation.

4. 4

   Step 4: Build and compare

   When the plan is correct, use its build action. Compare the resulting diff and preview against the accepted checklist.

   If the implementation misses the goal, stop, preserve any independent work, revert the unwanted task changes, and refine the plan before rerunning.

   Illustrated exampleCheck the recovery path

   1. Preview misses goal
   2. 02Revert task changes
   3. 03Refine the plan

Plan this change before writing code: [customer-visible result] on [page]. Approved content: [copy]. Preserve [existing behavior]. Inspect existing components and propose the smallest file set. List unresolved questions, a normal-path check, a failure case, and phone/desktop checks. Do not implement, commit, push, or deploy until I accept the plan.