Use Plan Mode for a Slightly Larger Task

Done means a reviewed plan names scope, files, checks and risks before implementation starts.

Use planning when a change needs research, files, checks and risk called out before edits begin.

Use Plan Mode when the change touches several files or the right approach is not obvious. Keep the boundary narrow.

Start small. Name the job, attach the context that proves the point and decide what evidence would make the output trustworthy.

Read the loop before touching the controls. The first beat frames the work, the second uses Cursor, the third checks the result and the fourth leaves a handoff someone else can inspect.

Treat this as a short practice loop, not a product tour. The task should be small enough that you can inspect the result without trusting the summary.

1. 1Generate the plan with a thinking modelA reasoning model (shown with a brain icon in Cursor's picker) that spends extra compute before answering; reach for it on complex, nuanced work and a standard model for fast, simple tasks., then execute it cheaply, with the repo areas and constraints named up front.
2. 2Read the plan for scope creep, missing tests and risky assumptions.
3. 3Edit or reject the plan before allowing implementation, knowing that editing the plan itself costs zero tokens.
4. 4After build, compare the finished diff against the accepted plan.

The exercise is complete only when the proof matches the requested outcome. If the proof is weak, reduce the scope or fix the context instead of adding more instructions.

Verification decides the next move.

Use the first failure signal as the next prompt. Broad retries usually make the run noisier; a narrow retry gives Cursor a concrete repair target.