> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.riff.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.riff.ai/reference/riff-agent/build-plan-toggle.md).

# Build / Plan toggle

The Build / Plan toggle is in the Riff agent chat input. It controls whether the Riff agent executes changes or plans them first.

## The two modes

| Mode                | What the Riff agent does                                                       |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Build** (default) | Writes code, makes changes, installs packages, updates configuration — it acts |
| **Plan**            | Describes exactly what it would do and why, without making any changes         |

Plan mode is shown in orange in the chat input.

## When to use Plan

* **Before a significant change** — ask the Riff agent to plan a new feature before it builds it. Review the plan, refine it in conversation, then switch to Build.
* **When something is going wrong** — switch to Plan to understand what the agent intends to do next before it does it.
* **When you want to learn** — Plan mode explains the Riff agent's reasoning, which helps you understand what is being built and why.

## When to use Build

Build is the default for a reason — most of the time you want the Riff agent to act, not just describe. Use Build whenever you are ready for changes to happen.

## Important

The Build / Plan toggle only affects what the Riff agent does in response to your message. It does not affect your agent's live behaviour or any deployed version. It is a building tool, not a runtime control.


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# Agent Instructions
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## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.riff.ai/reference/riff-agent/build-plan-toggle.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

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