Plan mode vs build mode

Two ways to work with the AI. One thinks first; one builds first. Use the right tool for the moment.

The chat panel can work in two ways: plan and build. They sound similar. They're not.

Heads up — Plan mode is rolling out gradually. The plan/build toggle is a newer feature we're turning on for accounts in stages, so you may not see it in your editor yet. If there's no toggle next to the send button, your account is on build mode (the default) for now — which is exactly how OverSkill has always worked. Everything below about build mode applies to you today; plan mode is what's coming.

Build mode (the default)

You ask, it ships.

Build mode jumps straight in. You type Add a contact form, it adds a contact form. Fast. Direct. Good for clear, small-to-medium changes.

Use build mode when:

• You know exactly what you want
• The change is contained (one page, one feature)
• You want to see results now and iterate

Plan mode

You ask, it thinks first.

Plan mode pauses before doing anything. It asks clarifying questions, lays out a plan, and waits for you to say yes, go. Then it builds.

Use plan mode when:

• You're not sure how to phrase your ask
• The change is big or touches several parts of the app
• You want to estimate the work before committing credits
• You're refactoring (restructuring something that already works)

A concrete example

Say you want a multi-step signup form with email confirmation and a welcome message.

In build mode, you'd get a first attempt right away. Probably 80% right. You'd refine from there.

In plan mode, you'd get back something like:

Okay — I'll build:

1. A 3-step form (account → details → preferences)
2. An email confirmation step
3. A Welcome! message after confirmation

A few questions: Should the confirmation email come from your own address? Should the welcome message be a popup or a separate page?

Answer the questions, hit Build it, and you skip several rounds of refinement.

How to switch (if you have it)

When plan mode is available on your account, you'll see a small Plan / Build toggle at the bottom of the chat panel, right next to the send button. Tap it any time to switch.

Don't see the toggle? That's expected for most accounts right now — plan mode is still rolling out. You're on build mode by default, and you don't need to do anything. We'll keep widening access; watch the changelog for when it reaches your account.

Do they cost different amounts of credits?

Per request, no — both modes cost the same. This surprises people, so here's the honest version: in both plan mode and build mode, the AI reads and understands your whole app for context before it does anything. That read the whole app step is the bulk of what a request costs, and it happens either way.

The only real difference is what happens after the AI understands your app: plan mode proposes the changes without writing them, while build mode writes them. Same understanding step, same per-request cost.

Where plan mode can save you credits is across a multi-step ask: by confirming the plan first, you avoid several rounds of no, not like that rebuilds — and each of those rebuilds is a full-priced request. Fewer wrong turns, fewer requests, lower total spend. But don't think of plan mode as a discount on any single request; it isn't.

Tips

• Build mode is the default and works for everyone, today. It's fast and direct.
• When plan mode is available, switch to it when you're stuck, going big, or trying something new.
• You can pivot mid-conversation — if a plan-mode plan looks wrong, change something in your reply before approving it.
• Both modes cost the same per request — the savings come from fewer rebuilds across a big ask, not a cheaper price tag on each message.

What to read next

• How to ask the AI for changes — phrasings that work in either mode
• What are credits? — how the meter ticks down