A developer asks Claude Code to 'add a null check to the getUser function on line 45.' Should they use plan mode or direct execution?
Answer: Direct execution — the task is small, reversible, and has only one reasonable interpretation
This task is small, reversible (git undo takes seconds), and has only one reasonable interpretation — add a null check at a specific location. Using plan mode adds a round trip with no benefit: the plan output will be obvious ('I will add a null check on line 45') and review adds latency without improving quality. Plan mode is for hard-to-reverse changes and ambiguous requirements — neither applies here. Plan mode is not required for all code changes (A, C). Test breakage concern (D) doesn't require plan mode — running tests is faster and more reliable than reviewing a plan.