/deep-planning) turns Cline into an architect before it becomes a builder. Instead of jumping straight into code, Cline systematically explores your codebase, asks targeted questions, and produces a detailed implementation plan — all before writing a single line.
How It Works
Deep Planning follows a four-step process:Silent Investigation
Cline explores your codebase without asking you anything. It reads relevant files, traces dependencies, examines patterns, and builds a mental model of how your project is structured. You’ll see Cline reading files and running searches during this phase.This step is intentionally silent — Cline gathers context first so it can ask better questions next.
Discussion
Based on what it learned, Cline asks you targeted, specific questions about your requirements and preferences. These aren’t generic questions — they’re informed by what Cline found in your code.For example, instead of asking “how should authentication work?”, Cline might ask “I see you’re using JWT tokens in
auth/middleware.ts with refresh token rotation. Should the new endpoint follow the same pattern, or do you want session-based auth for this feature?”Answer these questions to shape the plan. The more specific you are, the better the implementation plan will be.Plan Creation
Cline generates a comprehensive
implementation_plan.md file in your project. This plan typically includes:- Overview of the feature and its scope
- File-by-file changes with specific descriptions of what to add, modify, or remove
- Dependencies between changes (what needs to happen first)
- Edge cases and error handling considerations
- Testing strategy for the implementation
Using Deep Planning
Invoking It
Type/deep-planning in the Cline chat input, followed by a description of what you want to build:
- What you want to build
- Any constraints or preferences
- Which parts of the codebase are relevant (if you know)
Reviewing the Plan
Once Cline generatesimplementation_plan.md, review it carefully:
- Check the scope — Does it cover everything you need? Is anything missing?
- Verify the approach — Does the technical approach match your preferences?
- Review the order — Are dependencies handled correctly?
- Edit if needed — It’s a markdown file. Change anything that doesn’t look right.
Model-Specific Optimization
The deep planning prompt is optimized for each model family. Cline adapts its investigation and planning approach based on the strengths of whatever model you’re using — whether that’s Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, or others. This means you get effective deep planning regardless of your model choice, though stronger reasoning models will generally produce more thorough plans.Pairing with Other Features
Deep Planning works well with several other Cline features:| Feature | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Focus Chain | Tracks implementation progress against the plan with a visible todo list |
| Memory Bank | Preserves project context across sessions so deep planning has richer input |
| Plan & Act Mode | Use Plan mode for quick exploration, deep planning for thorough architecture |
| Checkpoints | Roll back implementation steps if something goes wrong during execution |
Deep Planning vs Plan Mode
Both involve thinking before doing, but they serve different purposes:| Plan Mode | Deep Planning | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Quick exploration and discussion | Thorough codebase investigation |
| Output | Conversation context | implementation_plan.md file |
| Best for | Medium tasks, understanding code | Large tasks, multi-file features |
| Duration | Minutes | Longer — depends on codebase size |
| Persistence | Lives in conversation history | Saved as a file you can reference later |
/deep-planning for tasks where you’d normally spend significant time planning on a whiteboard before coding.
Tips
- Be specific in your initial prompt. “Add authentication” gives a vague plan. “Add OAuth2 authentication with Google and GitHub providers, using our existing user model in
models/user.ts” gives a focused one. - Point Cline at relevant files. Use
@mentions to highlight key files in your prompt so the investigation phase starts in the right place. - Edit the plan before implementing. The generated plan is a starting point. Adjust priorities, remove unnecessary steps, or add details before Cline starts coding.
- Save plans for reference. The
implementation_plan.mdfile is useful documentation even after the feature is built. Consider committing it or moving it to a docs folder. - Use for onboarding. Run
/deep-planningon a feature you’re unfamiliar with to get Cline to map out the codebase and explain how things connect.
Related
- Plan & Act Mode — Cline’s dual-mode system for structured development
- Focus Chain — Automatic todo list tracking for long-running tasks
- Memory Bank — Structured documentation for cross-session context
- Using Commands — All available slash commands