CHECK 03 10 MIN · HANDS-ON

Your first prompt

What you’ll know by the end of this check

  • The difference between approval mode and auto-accept — and when to cycle
  • What Plan Mode is and why it’s the single biggest lever on your first real prompt
  • A template first-prompt that consistently lands

The shortest possible answer

You talk to Claude Code like any AI assistant — plain English, no special syntax. The only superpower: hit Shift+Tab to cycle modes before you submit.

Three modes:

  • Approval — Claude asks permission before every file edit and every command.
  • Auto-accept — file edits get applied automatically. Commands still ask.
  • Plan Mode — Claude can only read files. It builds a plan, asks clarifying questions, and returns a proposed implementation for you to approve or revise.

The mental model that unlocks it

Most people type a prompt in approval mode and start clicking “yes” for every file edit. That works, but it burns attention. The upgrade: start in Plan Mode. Let Claude read the codebase, ask the clarifying questions, and hand you a plan. Review the plan, then approve it — and now Claude executes with a shared map instead of guessing.

Plan Mode is the equivalent of “measure twice, cut once,” except the measuring is free.

A first-prompt that works

Don’t start with “fix this bug.” Start with context + goal + success criteria.

I need to add a dark mode toggle to the header of this app. Light mode
exists and uses Tailwind. Pick a contrast color that works with the
existing palette. The toggle should persist across page loads.

Success criteria: the toggle works on all pages, contrast passes WCAG
AA, and no existing light-mode layouts break.

Then hit Shift+Tab until it says Plan Mode at the bottom. Submit.

Things to try right now (10 minutes)

  1. Open a repo you know well.
  2. Run claude, cycle to Plan Mode.
  3. Write a first-prompt using the shape above — a real change you’ve been putting off.
  4. Read the plan Claude returns. Revise it in plain English until it matches what you want.
  5. Approve. Watch it execute.

You don’t have to merge the result. The point is to see the loop end-to-end.

The canonical version

Full official lesson is at anthropic.skilljar.com/claude-code-101/469791.

Ready to verify this check?

You’ve cycled modes. You’ve written a Plan-Mode prompt with explicit success criteria. You’ve watched Claude plan and execute. Mark it cleared.