AI Coding Tools · Quick Guide
Ask, Plan, Agent — pick the right mode, every time
Three modes, three different jobs. Here’s the mental model that stops you from reaching for the sledgehammer when you need a scalpel.
💬 Ask
You want understanding, not changes.
- Explain what this function does or why it was written this way
- Review code for bugs, smells, or security issues
- Compare two approaches before committing to one
- Generate a snippet you’ll paste and review yourself
- Onboard to an unfamiliar codebase — “walk me through this flow”
🗺️ Plan
You want a blueprint before the AI touches anything.
- Non-trivial features that span multiple files or systems
- Risky refactors where a wrong assumption is expensive to undo
- Situations where you need to approve the approach first
- Architecture decisions — let AI surface tradeoffs, you decide
- Starting a new module: “plan how to add auth to this app”
🤖 Agent
You want it done — and you trust the scope.
- Well-scoped tasks with a clear finish line: “add dark mode to this component”
- Mechanical work you’d find tedious: writing tests, adding JSDoc, migrations
- Iterating on a plan you already approved in Plan mode
- Chained edits across many files that follow an obvious pattern
The Quick Rule of Thumb
| Unclear? Start in Ask. Clarify before acting. | Risky? Go to Plan. Review before executing. | Scoped? Use Agent. Let it run. |
TL;DR
Most people jump to Agent by default. The real power move is using Plan for anything non-trivial — it forces alignment before the AI writes a single line, and saves you a painful revert 20 minutes later.
Efficient User 