Working With AI Tools•Working With AI Tools•10 min lesson

Reasoning Plans — Make the Agent Slow Down Before Code

Use visible reasoning plans, approval gates, and verification steps to handle complex coding problems without asking for a giant opaque answer.

Read the matching lesson

ai-toolsprompt-engineeringreasoningplanningapproval-gates

Copy-ready prompt

**Use this for tasks with real logic, architecture, or debugging complexity:**
"I need help with [problem].
Before writing code, work in four phases.

Phase 1: Think
- Explain the problem in plain English
- Identify the main rules, dependencies, and edge cases
- Point out anything ambiguous or risky

Phase 2: Plan
- Propose the implementation approach
- List files or systems likely to change
- Explain how you will verify correctness

Phase 3: Approval gate
- Do not start this phase until I approve phases 1 and 2
- If auth, payments, production data, DNS, deployment, or secrets are involved, ask for separate explicit approval

Phase 4: Code
- Implement only the approved first slice
- Run the agreed verification
- Stop for review before the next slice

Keep these constraints in mind: [constraints].
Tell me what I must test manually after implementation."

Prompt FAQ

Questions to answer before you paste it

When should I use the Reasoning Plans — Make the Agent Slow Down Before Code prompt?

Use visible reasoning plans, approval gates, and verification steps to handle complex coding problems without asking for a giant opaque answer. Use it when you need a safer starting point than a blank prompt and you want the agent to stay inside explicit constraints.

Should I paste this prompt exactly as written?

No. Treat it as a safe starter. Replace the task, files, constraints, and verification details with your actual context before you run it.

What should I do after the agent answers?

Read the diff, run the checks, and stop after one reviewable step. If you need deeper context, open the lesson that explains the reasoning behind the prompt.

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