Can Atlas prevent me from accidentally modifying `app/` files while planning a Laravel feature?

Yes, Atlas's plan agent is strictly read-only for your Laravel codebase. It denies all edit permissions for paths like `app/Http/Controllers/` or `database/migrations/`, allowing writes only to the plan markdown file in `.atlas/plans/`.

How does Atlas help me understand existing Laravel code without changing it?

In plan mode, Atlas provides `codebase_search` for semantic queries across your Eloquent models and routes, `grep` for keyword searches, and `lsp` for detailed type information on Laravel classes, all without modifying a single line.

Can I get my multi-file Laravel change plan reviewed before Atlas starts coding?

Absolutely. Atlas's workflow is designed for this. You write your plan into a markdown file, which can be reviewed by your team. Only after approval do you use `plan_exit` to switch to the build agent for implementation.

What happens if I decide not to implement a plan after using `plan_exit`?

If you answer "No" to the `plan_exit` prompt, Atlas raises a `Question.RejectedError` and remains in plan mode. This allows you to continue refining your plan without switching to the build agent or making any code changes.

Does Atlas integrate with Laravel's testing tools like Pest during planning?

While in plan mode, Atlas does not run `Pest` tests as it's read-only. However, you can use `codebase_search` or `read` to analyze existing `tests/Feature/` or `tests/Unit/` files to inform your plan for new tests.

How does Atlas ensure my Laravel code stays formatted with Laravel Pint during the planning phase?

`Laravel Pint` formatting is typically applied during the implementation phase by the build agent. The plan agent is read-only and focuses solely on design, so it won't modify or format files in your Laravel project.

Can Atlas help me find specific Eloquent model relationships or route definitions in my Laravel project?

Yes, Atlas's `codebase_search` tool is highly effective for this. It indexes your code by AST declarations, allowing it to semantically search for specific Eloquent model relationships, route definitions in `routes/web.php` or `routes/api.php`, or controller methods.

Plan a Multi-File Change Before Editing in Laravel with Atlas in 2026

In 2026, Laravel developers can meticulously plan multi-file changes before writing any code by leveraging Atlas's dedicated plan agent. This agent allows you to research your codebase using tools like `codebase_search` and `lsp`, draft a comprehensive design document, and get it reviewed, all while ensuring no accidental modifications to your `app/` directory or `database/migrations` occur, safeguarding your project's integrity.

How does Atlas plan multi-file changes in Laravel?

Atlas, the terminal-native AI coding agent, offers a dedicated plan agent in 2026 that enables Laravel developers to design complex architectural shifts across many files. This specialized mode disallows all edit tools, ensuring that research and design activities never accidentally modify your `app/Http/Controllers` or `database/migrations`.

Atlas's plan agent is specifically engineered to facilitate the design phase of multi-file changes within a Laravel application. When you initiate Atlas in plan mode, its permission set is strictly configured to deny any write access to your codebase, including critical Laravel directories like `app/Models/`, `routes/`, and `database/`. The only exception is a designated markdown file, typically located under `.atlas/plans/*.md`, where your design document is crafted. This read-only environment allows Laravel developers to freely explore their project using Atlas's powerful research tools such as `codebase_search`, `grep`, `read`, and `lsp`. You can investigate existing Eloquent models, analyze route definitions in `routes/web.php`, or understand controller logic without any risk of unintended modifications, ensuring a secure and focused planning experience.

What Atlas tools research Laravel codebases for planning?

When planning a multi-file change in a Laravel project, Atlas provides several powerful research tools that remain active within its read-only plan agent. Developers in 2026 can use `codebase_search` to find relevant Eloquent models, `grep` to locate specific method calls, and `lsp` to understand type definitions across their `app/` directory.

Atlas equips Laravel developers with a suite of robust tools for in-depth codebase research, all while maintaining the integrity of the project in plan mode. The `codebase_search` tool leverages hybrid semantic and keyword retrieval, fused by reciprocal rank fusion, and indexes code by AST declarations using tree-sitter. This allows you to semantically query your Laravel application, for instance, finding all Eloquent models related to a specific domain or identifying all service providers. You can also use `grep` to perform traditional keyword searches across files like `config/app.php` or `resources/views/`. The `read` tool enables direct inspection of file contents, such as `app/Providers/AppServiceProvider.php`, and the `lsp` tool provides detailed language server protocol information, helping you understand method signatures and class hierarchies within your `app/Http/` or `app/Services/` directories. These tools ensure comprehensive understanding without any write permissions.

How does Atlas ensure safety and review for Laravel plans?

Atlas ensures unparalleled safety for Laravel developers planning multi-file changes by strictly enforcing read-only permissions within its plan agent, preventing any accidental code modifications. In 2026, every Atlas tool call is permission-gated, and the plan agent's default configuration denies edit access for all paths except the designated plan markdown file, typically located in `.atlas/plans/`.

The safety mechanisms within Atlas's plan agent are paramount for Laravel development. Each tool call is permission-gated, meaning Atlas checks against allow, ask, and deny rules before execution. In plan mode, the rules explicitly deny write access to your entire Laravel project, from `public/index.php` to `tests/Unit/ExampleTest.php`, except for the specific markdown file where your plan is documented. This strict enforcement guarantees that your research and design activities cannot inadvertently introduce changes to your `app/` directory, `database/migrations`, or `routes/`. Once your multi-file change plan is complete and documented in the markdown file, the `plan_exit` tool is used. This tool prompts you for confirmation, asking if the plan is ready to be handed off to the build agent. This explicit approval step serves as a critical review gate, allowing you to share the `.atlas/plans/*.md` document with team members for architectural review before any actual code modification begins, ensuring collective agreement and preventing premature implementation.

How to implement a Laravel plan after Atlas review?

After a comprehensive multi-file change plan for a Laravel application has been thoroughly reviewed and refined, Atlas facilitates a controlled transition to the implementation phase. The `plan_exit` tool, available in 2026, prompts the developer to confirm the plan's completion and offers to switch to the build agent, which then gains the necessary permissions to modify files like `app/Models/Product.php` or `tests/Feature/ProductTest.php`.

Once your multi-file change plan for a Laravel application has passed review and is finalized, the transition to implementation is managed by Atlas's `plan_exit` tool. When you invoke `plan_exit`, Atlas presents a clear prompt: 'Plan at <path> is complete. Would you like to switch to the build agent and start implementing?' Answering 'Yes' signals your intent to proceed. Atlas then direct switches from the read-only plan agent to the build agent. The build agent operates with a different permission set, now allowing it to perform actual code modifications, create new files, run `Composer` commands to manage dependencies, execute `Pest` tests, and apply `Laravel Pint` formatting. Every file edit proposed by the build agent is presented as a unified diff for your approval before it is written to disk, providing granular control. If you answer 'No' to the `plan_exit` prompt, Atlas raises a `Question.RejectedError` and keeps you in plan mode, allowing further refinement of your design document without any code changes.

Step by step

01Start Atlas in plan mode within your Laravel project.: atlas plan
02Research your Laravel codebase using Atlas tools.: atlas codebase_search "all Eloquent models related to orders" atlas grep "Route::resource('products'" routes/web.php atlas lsp "App\Http\Controllers\OrderController@store"
03Document your multi-file change plan in the designated markdown file.: atlas write_plan .atlas/plans/new_order_workflow.md
04Review the generated plan document.
05Signal plan completion and transition to implementation.: atlas plan_exit
06Confirm transition to the build agent.

Frequently asked questions

Can Atlas prevent me from accidentally modifying `app/` files while planning a Laravel feature?: Yes, Atlas's plan agent is strictly read-only for your Laravel codebase. It denies all edit permissions for paths like `app/Http/Controllers/` or `database/migrations/`, allowing writes only to the plan markdown file in `.atlas/plans/`.
How does Atlas help me understand existing Laravel code without changing it?: In plan mode, Atlas provides `codebase_search` for semantic queries across your Eloquent models and routes, `grep` for keyword searches, and `lsp` for detailed type information on Laravel classes, all without modifying a single line.
Can I get my multi-file Laravel change plan reviewed before Atlas starts coding?: Absolutely. Atlas's workflow is designed for this. You write your plan into a markdown file, which can be reviewed by your team. Only after approval do you use `plan_exit` to switch to the build agent for implementation.
What happens if I decide not to implement a plan after using `plan_exit`?: If you answer "No" to the `plan_exit` prompt, Atlas raises a `Question.RejectedError` and remains in plan mode. This allows you to continue refining your plan without switching to the build agent or making any code changes.
Does Atlas integrate with Laravel's testing tools like Pest during planning?: While in plan mode, Atlas does not run `Pest` tests as it's read-only. However, you can use `codebase_search` or `read` to analyze existing `tests/Feature/` or `tests/Unit/` files to inform your plan for new tests.
How does Atlas ensure my Laravel code stays formatted with Laravel Pint during the planning phase?: `Laravel Pint` formatting is typically applied during the implementation phase by the build agent. The plan agent is read-only and focuses solely on design, so it won't modify or format files in your Laravel project.
Can Atlas help me find specific Eloquent model relationships or route definitions in my Laravel project?: Yes, Atlas's `codebase_search` tool is highly effective for this. It indexes your code by AST declarations, allowing it to semantically search for specific Eloquent model relationships, route definitions in `routes/web.php` or `routes/api.php`, or controller methods.

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