Choosing a chat mode: Build, Plan, or Ask
A deep-dive on Build's three chat modes — Build (makes changes), Plan (drafts an approach to approve), and Ask (read-only answers) — including when to use each and where the Approve & Build step applies.
Build has three chat modes — Build, Plan, and Ask modes — and the mode you're in changes what happens when you send a message. You choose the mode in the composer at the bottom of the chat, and switch anytime with Shift + Tab. Here's what each one does and when to reach for it.
Build mode
Build is the default. It writes and edits your flow to ship your changes — you describe what you want, and Build makes it, updating the live preview as it works. There's no approval step for ordinary edits; the change just happens.
Use Build mode when you know what you want and want it done — creating your flow, adding a screen, tweaking the design, fixing something.
Plan mode
Plan drafts an approach for review — no files are touched. Build responds with an ordered plan (a short summary and a list of steps) so you can see what it intends to do before anything changes. Review it and click Approve & Build to run it, or Reject to adjust. Once approved, the plan is handed to Build mode to carry out.
Use Plan mode for bigger or multi-step changes you'd rather see laid out first. Plan can also propose a data table or securely collect an API key up front, so those are ready before the build steps that need them.
Ask mode
Ask answers questions about your flow, read-only — it never changes anything. Ask it things like "what does my flow do?" or "how does checkout work?" and it explains in plain language.
If you ask Ask mode to actually build or change something, it will tell you (in one line) that it's in Ask mode and can't make changes here — then propose a plan for what you want. Approve that plan and it switches to Build mode and makes the change.
Where "Approve & Build" applies
The Approve & Build step appears whenever a plan is proposed:
Plan mode — always ends with a plan you Approve & Build (or Reject).
Ask mode — when you ask for a change, it offers a plan to Approve & Build.
Build mode — normal edits apply directly, with no approval step.
Your first flow — the first build is auto-approved (clicking Start already approved it), so there's no plan gate on it.
Switching modes
Pick a mode in the composer, or press Shift + Tab to cycle through them. Each mode shows its own prompt placeholder so you always know which one is active.
Which mode should I use?
Just make the change → Build.
See the plan before it builds → Plan.
Ask a question or understand your flow → Ask.
Frequently asked questions
What's the default mode?
Build. It's the mode you use to create and change your flow, and it's what a fresh chat starts in.
Does Plan mode change my flow?
No. Plan drafts an ordered approach for you to review and touches no files. Nothing changes until you click Approve & Build, which runs the plan in Build mode.
Can Ask mode make changes?
No — Ask is read-only. But if you ask it to build or change something, it will say it's in Ask mode and propose a plan instead; approving that plan switches to Build mode and makes the change.
How do I switch modes?
Use Shift + Tab in the composer, or pick the mode directly. Each mode has its own placeholder text so you can tell which one you're in.
When do I see Approve & Build?
Whenever a plan is proposed — always in Plan mode, and in Ask mode when you request a change. Normal Build-mode edits apply directly, and your first build is auto-approved, so neither shows the gate.
Can Plan set up a data table or an API key first?
Yes. Plan can propose a custom data table or securely request a secret (like an API key) up front, so those are ready before the build steps that depend on them.