feat(plan): enable Plan Mode by default (#21713)

jerop · web-flow · commit 8aade30a5bec · 2026-03-09T15:58:46.000Z
diff --git a/docs/cli/plan-mode.md b/docs/cli/plan-mode.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Plan Mode (experimental)
+# Plan Mode
 
 Plan Mode is a read-only environment for architecting robust solutions before
 implementation. With Plan Mode, you can:
@@ -8,27 +8,8 @@ implementation. With Plan Mode, you can:
 - **Design:** Understand problems, evaluate trade-offs, and choose a solution.
 - **Plan:** Align on an execution strategy before any code is modified.
 
-> **Note:** This is a preview feature currently under active development. Your
-> feedback is invaluable as we refine this feature. If you have ideas,
-> suggestions, or encounter issues:
->
-> - [Open an issue] on GitHub.
-> - Use the **/bug** command within Gemini CLI to file an issue.
-
-## How to enable Plan Mode
-
-Enable Plan Mode in **Settings** or by editing your configuration file.
-
-- **Settings:** Use the `/settings` command and set **Plan** to `true`.
-- **Configuration:** Add the following to your `settings.json`:
-
-  ```json
-  {
-    "experimental": {
-      "plan": true
-    }
-  }
-  ```
+Plan Mode is enabled by default. You can manage this setting using the
+`/settings` command.
 
 ## How to enter Plan Mode
 
diff --git a/docs/cli/settings.md b/docs/cli/settings.md
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ they appear in the UI.
 | Enable Tool Output Masking | `experimental.toolOutputMasking.enabled` | Enables tool output masking to save tokens.                                                                                                               | `true`  |
 | Use OSC 52 Paste           | `experimental.useOSC52Paste`             | Use OSC 52 for pasting. This may be more robust than the default system when using remote terminal sessions (if your terminal is configured to allow it). | `false` |
 | Use OSC 52 Copy            | `experimental.useOSC52Copy`              | Use OSC 52 for copying. This may be more robust than the default system when using remote terminal sessions (if your terminal is configured to allow it). | `false` |
-| Plan                       | `experimental.plan`                      | Enable planning features (Plan Mode and tools).                                                                                                           | `false` |
+| Plan                       | `experimental.plan`                      | Enable Plan Mode.                                                                                                                                         | `true`  |
 | Model Steering             | `experimental.modelSteering`             | Enable model steering (user hints) to guide the model during tool execution.                                                                              | `false` |
 | Direct Web Fetch           | `experimental.directWebFetch`            | Enable web fetch behavior that bypasses LLM summarization.                                                                                                | `false` |
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/commands.md b/docs/reference/commands.md
@@ -279,8 +279,8 @@ Slash commands provide meta-level control over the CLI itself.
 
 - **Description:** Switch to Plan Mode (read-only) and view the current plan if
   one has been generated.
-  - **Note:** This feature requires the `experimental.plan` setting to be
-    enabled in your configuration.
+  - **Note:** This feature is enabled by default. It can be disabled via the
+    `experimental.plan` setting in your configuration.
 - **Sub-commands:**
   - **`copy`**:
     - **Description:** Copy the currently approved plan to your clipboard.
diff --git a/docs/reference/configuration.md b/docs/reference/configuration.md
@@ -1021,8 +1021,8 @@ their corresponding top-level category object in your `settings.json` file.
   - **Default:** `false`
 
 - **`experimental.plan`** (boolean):
-  - **Description:** Enable planning features (Plan Mode and tools).
-  - **Default:** `false`
+  - **Description:** Enable Plan Mode.
+  - **Default:** `true`
   - **Requires restart:** Yes
 
 - **`experimental.taskTracker`** (boolean):
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/acp/acpClient.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/acp/acpClient.test.ts
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ describe('GeminiAgent', () => {
         unsubscribe: vi.fn(),
       }),
       getApprovalMode: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('default'),
-      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
       getGemini31LaunchedSync: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
       getHasAccessToPreviewModel: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
       getCheckpointingEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ describe('Session', () => {
       getMessageBus: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(mockMessageBus),
       setApprovalMode: vi.fn(),
       setModel: vi.fn(),
-      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
       getCheckpointingEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
       getGitService: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({} as GitService),
       waitForMcpInit: vi.fn(),
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/acp/acpResume.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/acp/acpResume.test.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ describe('GeminiAgent Session Resume', () => {
         getProjectTempDir: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('/tmp/project'),
       },
       getApprovalMode: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('default'),
-      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
       getModel: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('gemini-pro'),
       getHasAccessToPreviewModel: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
       getGemini31LaunchedSync: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
@@ -204,6 +204,11 @@ describe('GeminiAgent Session Resume', () => {
             name: 'YOLO',
             description: 'Auto-approves all tools',
           },
+          {
+            id: ApprovalMode.PLAN,
+            name: 'Plan',
+            description: 'Read-only mode',
+          },
         ],
         currentModeId: ApprovalMode.DEFAULT,
       },
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
@@ -2622,13 +2622,13 @@ describe('loadCliConfig approval mode', () => {
     expect(config.getApprovalMode()).toBe(ApprovalMode.DEFAULT);
   });
 
-  it('should throw error when --approval-mode=plan is used but experimental.plan setting is missing', async () => {
+  it('should allow plan approval mode by default when --approval-mode=plan is used', async () => {
     process.argv = ['node', 'script.js', '--approval-mode', 'plan'];
     const argv = await parseArguments(createTestMergedSettings());
     const settings = createTestMergedSettings({});
 
     const config = await loadCliConfig(settings, 'test-session', argv);
-    expect(config.getApprovalMode()).toBe(ApprovalMode.DEFAULT);
+    expect(config.getApprovalMode()).toBe(ApprovalMode.PLAN);
   });
 
   it('should pass planSettings.directory from settings to config', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.test.ts
@@ -424,12 +424,10 @@ describe('SettingsSchema', () => {
       expect(setting).toBeDefined();
       expect(setting.type).toBe('boolean');
       expect(setting.category).toBe('Experimental');
-      expect(setting.default).toBe(false);
+      expect(setting.default).toBe(true);
       expect(setting.requiresRestart).toBe(true);
       expect(setting.showInDialog).toBe(true);
-      expect(setting.description).toBe(
-        'Enable planning features (Plan Mode and tools).',
-      );
+      expect(setting.description).toBe('Enable Plan Mode.');
     });
 
     it('should have hooksConfig.notifications setting in schema', () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts
@@ -1823,8 +1823,8 @@ const SETTINGS_SCHEMA = {
         label: 'Plan',
         category: 'Experimental',
         requiresRestart: true,
-        default: false,
-        description: 'Enable planning features (Plan Mode and tools).',
+        default: true,
+        description: 'Enable Plan Mode.',
         showInDialog: true,
       },
       taskTracker: {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/services/BuiltinCommandLoader.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/services/BuiltinCommandLoader.test.ts
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ describe('BuiltinCommandLoader', () => {
     vi.clearAllMocks();
     mockConfig = {
       getFolderTrust: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
-      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
       getEnableExtensionReloading: () => false,
       getEnableHooks: () => false,
       getEnableHooksUI: () => false,
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ describe('BuiltinCommandLoader profile', () => {
     vi.resetModules();
     mockConfig = {
       getFolderTrust: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
-      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+      isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
       getCheckpointingEnabled: () => false,
       getEnableExtensionReloading: () => false,
       getEnableHooks: () => false,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ const createMockConfig = (overrides = {}): Config =>
     getDebugMode: vi.fn(() => false),
     getAccessibility: vi.fn(() => ({})),
     getMcpServers: vi.fn(() => ({})),
-    isPlanEnabled: vi.fn(() => false),
+    isPlanEnabled: vi.fn(() => true),
     getToolRegistry: () => ({
       getTool: vi.fn(),
     }),
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useApprovalModeIndicator.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useApprovalModeIndicator.test.ts
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ describe('useApprovalModeIndicator', () => {
           (value: ApprovalMode) => void
         >,
         isYoloModeDisabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
-        isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+        isPlanEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
         isTrustedFolder: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true) as Mock<() => boolean>,
         getCoreTools: vi.fn().mockReturnValue([]) as Mock<() => string[]>,
         getToolDiscoveryCommand: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(undefined) as Mock<
diff --git a/packages/core/src/config/config.test.ts b/packages/core/src/config/config.test.ts
@@ -2788,9 +2788,9 @@ describe('Config Quota & Preview Model Access', () => {
   });
 
   describe('isPlanEnabled', () => {
-    it('should return false by default', () => {
+    it('should return true by default', () => {
       const config = new Config(baseParams);
-      expect(config.isPlanEnabled()).toBe(false);
+      expect(config.isPlanEnabled()).toBe(true);
     });
 
     it('should return true when plan is enabled', () => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/config/config.ts b/packages/core/src/config/config.ts
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@ export class Config implements McpContext {
     this.enableAgents = params.enableAgents ?? false;
     this.agents = params.agents ?? {};
     this.disableLLMCorrection = params.disableLLMCorrection ?? true;
-    this.planEnabled = params.plan ?? false;
+    this.planEnabled = params.plan ?? true;
     this.trackerEnabled = params.tracker ?? false;
     this.planModeRoutingEnabled = params.planSettings?.modelRouting ?? true;
     this.enableEventDrivenScheduler = params.enableEventDrivenScheduler ?? true;
diff --git a/schemas/settings.schema.json b/schemas/settings.schema.json
@@ -1712,9 +1712,9 @@
         },
         "plan": {
           "title": "Plan",
-          "description": "Enable planning features (Plan Mode and tools).",
-          "markdownDescription": "Enable planning features (Plan Mode and tools).\n\n- Category: `Experimental`\n- Requires restart: `yes`\n- Default: `false`",
-          "default": false,
+          "description": "Enable Plan Mode.",
+          "markdownDescription": "Enable Plan Mode.\n\n- Category: `Experimental`\n- Requires restart: `yes`\n- Default: `true`",
+          "default": true,
           "type": "boolean"
         },
         "taskTracker": {
