Allison presents an overview of GitHub Copilot’s new plan mode, now available as a public preview for JetBrains, Eclipse, and Xcode users, highlighting how it supports structured development workflows.

Plan Mode in GitHub Copilot Now Available in Public Preview for JetBrains, Eclipse, and Xcode

GitHub Copilot introduces plan mode in public preview for popular IDEs: JetBrains, Eclipse, and Xcode. This new feature gives developers a stepwise blueprint for their coding tasks, helping plan, validate, and execute projects with more structure and oversight.

What is Plan Mode?

Plan mode lets you:

  • Generate a detailed execution plan for high-level development tasks (e.g., add features, refactor, or fix bugs)
  • Review a step breakdown before any code changes are made
  • Hand off plans for implementation to Copilot agents or use them yourself
  • Increase coding accuracy and efficiency through clear, actionable roadmaps

No modifications are made to your code until you approve and trigger the implementation.

How to Use Plan Mode

In JetBrains IDEs

  1. Sign in and open Copilot Chat.
  2. Choose Plan mode from the agents dropdown.
  3. Describe your high-level task (e.g., “Create a simple to-do app with HTML, CSS, and JS files.”).
  4. Review Copilot’s plan, then select Start Implementation or Open in Editor.

In Eclipse

  1. Sign into the Copilot Chat panel and select Plan mode.
  2. Enter your task description (e.g., “Create a to-do app with a GUI and functionalities to add, delete, and update to-do items.”).
  3. Review the plan and proceed as needed.

In Xcode

  1. Open GitHub Copilot for Xcode and sign in.
  2. Select Plan mode from the agents dropdown.
  3. Describe your coding task (e.g., “Build a minesweeper game with GUI.”).
  4. Review and approve before starting implementation.

Availability

Plan mode is now in public preview on all major IDEs:

To access, update your Copilot plugin/app and ensure you have a valid Copilot license.

Feedback and Support

GitHub welcomes your input:

Stay productive and leverage plan mode to bring more clarity and precision to your coding workflows.

This post appeared first on “The GitHub Blog”. Read the entire article here