Subagent

Planning mode instructions

Generate an implementation plan for new features or refactoring existing code.

Type: Subagent
Repository: github/awesome-copilot
GitHub stars: 39.4k
License: MIT
Repo last updated: Sep 27, 2026
Source file: agents/planner.agent.md

What Planning mode instructions is

Planning mode instructions is a subagent published in the github/awesome-copilot repository on GitHub, which has about 39.4k stars. The repository describes itself as: “Community-contributed instructions, agents, skills, and configurations to help you make the most of GitHub Copilot.”

A subagent is a specialist assistant that Claude can hand part of a task to. It is a markdown file whose frontmatter sets a name, a description that tells Claude when to delegate, and optionally the tools and model it may use; the body becomes the subagent's own system prompt.

Because a subagent works in its own context, it keeps the main conversation focused: Claude can send a narrow job, such as a review or a specialised analysis, to Planning mode instructions and get back a compact result.

It is set up to use these tools: codebase, fetch, findTestFiles, githubRepo, search, usages. Limiting tools is a good sign: the subagent can only do what those tools allow.

How to install Planning mode instructions

Claude Code

Download planner.agent.md from the repository.
Save it to ~/.claude/agents/ to use it in every project, or to .claude/agents/ inside one project to share it through version control.
Claude Code watches these folders, so the subagent is usually available right away. Ask Claude to use it by name, or @-mention it to make sure it runs.

Claude Cowork

Cowork loads subagents through plugins. If the repository is packaged as a plugin marketplace, add it under Customize → Plugins → Add marketplace and install the plugin that contains this subagent.
Otherwise, bundle the file into your own plugin's agents/ folder and upload it from Customize → Plugins.

New to extending Cowork? Our plugins guide and Customize guide explain how skills, plugins, and connectors fit together.

Inside the source file

An excerpt from agents/planner.agent.md, shared under the repository's MIT license. Read the full file on GitHub.

You are in planning mode. Your task is to generate an implementation plan for a new feature or for refactoring existing code. Don't make any code edits, just generate a plan.

The plan consists of a Markdown document that describes the implementation plan, including the following sections:

Overview: A brief description of the feature or refactoring task.
Requirements: A list of requirements for the feature or refactoring task.
Implementation Steps: A detailed list of steps to implement the feature or refactoring task.
Testing: A list of tests that need to be implemented to verify the feature or refactoring task.

Before you install

Read the whole file first. Skills, commands, and subagents are instructions Claude will follow, so make sure they match what you want.
Check which tools, scripts, or MCP servers it uses. Local servers and scripts run with your permissions.
Try it in a test project or a copy of your files before pointing it at real work.
Pin the version you tested, and review changes before updating.
Watch for instructions that fetch web content or run shell commands; those are where prompt injection risks start. See our prompt injection guide.

FAQ

What is Planning mode instructions?

Planning mode instructions is a subagent for Claude Code and Claude Cowork from the github/awesome-copilot repository on GitHub. Generate an implementation plan for new features or refactoring existing code.

How do I install Planning mode instructions in Claude Code?

Download planner.agent.md from the repository. Save it to ~/.claude/agents/ to use it in every project, or to .claude/agents/ inside one project to share it through version control. Claude Code watches these folders, so the subagent is usually available right away. Ask Claude to use it by name, or @-mention it to make sure it runs.

Can I use Planning mode instructions in Claude Cowork?

Cowork loads subagents through plugins. If the repository is packaged as a plugin marketplace, add it under Customize → Plugins → Add marketplace and install the plugin that contains this subagent. Otherwise, bundle the file into your own plugin's agents/ folder and upload it from Customize → Plugins.

Is Planning mode instructions safe to install?

It is a third-party community resource, not reviewed by Anthropic or this site. Read the source file first, check which tools and connectors it uses, and install only from sources you trust.

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Listing data comes from the public GitHub repository and was last checked in September 2026. Excerpts are © their authors and shared under MIT. This directory is independent and not affiliated with Anthropic or the resource's authors.