How does Atlas prevent accidental edits in my Symfony project during planning?

Atlas uses a dedicated plan agent with strictly permission-gated tools. This agent's permissions deny all edit operations for your Symfony codebase, allowing writes only to a specific plan markdown file. This ensures that research and design cannot accidentally turn into an edit.

Can Atlas understand my Symfony service container and Doctrine entities?

Yes, Atlas is designed to read and understand your Symfony application's structure. It parses `config/services.yaml` to comprehend autowired services and their dependencies, and it reads Doctrine entity mappings to understand your database schema and ORM configuration.

What happens if I decide not to implement a plan after drafting it with Atlas?

If you decide not to proceed with implementation, you can simply answer 'No' when prompted by the `plan_exit` tool. This will keep you in the plan agent, allowing you to refine or discard the plan without any code modifications being made to your Symfony project.

Does Atlas run `PHPUnit (WebTestCase)` or `PHP-CS-Fixer` during the planning phase?

No, during the planning phase, Atlas operates in a read-only mode and does not execute any modifying commands or tests. Tools like `PHPUnit (WebTestCase)` and `PHP-CS-Fixer` are integrated into the build agent's workflow, after the plan has been approved and implementation begins.

How does Atlas ensure my team can review my Symfony changes before they are committed?

Atlas computes a unified diff for every proposed file edit and surfaces it for your approval before writing. This allows for granular review. Additionally, Atlas reads git branches, status, and diffs, and can stage and create commits on your behalf, facilitating standard git-based team review processes for your Symfony project.

Can Atlas help me refactor a 'fat controller' in Symfony?

Yes, Atlas can assist in planning such a refactor. In plan mode, it can read your controller's code, analyze its dependencies, and help you design a strategy to move logic into injected services, understanding how this would interact with your `config/services.yaml` and other Symfony components, all before any code is changed.

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

Atlas empowers Symfony developers in 2026 to design multi-file changes and secure review before any code modification, leveraging its dedicated plan agent. This ensures architectural integrity and team alignment by allowing comprehensive research of your Symfony codebase, including controllers, services, and Doctrine entities, without the risk of accidental edits. You can explore your project's structure, analyze dependencies, and draft a detailed implementation strategy, all while interacting with familiar tools like Composer and preparing for PHPUnit (WebTestCase) coverage.

How does Atlas plan multi-file changes in a Symfony codebase?

Atlas facilitates multi-file change planning in Symfony through its specialized plan agent, which operates in a read-only mode, ensuring no accidental modifications occur. This agent's permissions are strictly limited in 2026, allowing writes only to a designated plan markdown file, typically located under `.atlas/plans/*.md`.

When you initiate Atlas in plan mode within your Symfony project, it activates a dedicated plan agent. This agent is engineered to disallow all edit tools, effectively preventing any code changes during the design phase. Its permission set explicitly denies write access for all paths except the designated plan markdown file. This read-only environment is crucial for safely researching your Symfony codebase. The plan agent can utilize powerful tools like `codebase_search` for semantic and keyword retrieval, `grep` for pattern matching, `read` for file content inspection, and the `lsp` tool for deep understanding of your Symfony application's structure, including controllers, autowired services, Doctrine entity mappings, and routes defined in `config/routes`. This allows you to thoroughly understand the impact of a proposed change, such as moving a fat controller into an injected service or adding a Symfony Messenger handler, before committing to any implementation.

What concrete Symfony files and commands does Atlas use for planning?

Atlas interacts directly with core Symfony configuration and code files during the planning phase, providing a concrete understanding of your application's structure. In 2026, it reads files like `composer.json`, `config/services.yaml`, and `config/routes` to build a comprehensive model of your project without executing any modifying commands.

For effective planning in a Symfony environment, Atlas is configured to read and understand the specific files and conventions that define your application. It starts by analyzing `composer.json` to understand project dependencies and autoloading configurations. It then delves into `config/services.yaml` to map out your autowired services and their dependencies, and `config/routes` to understand your application's routing logic. Atlas also reads Doctrine entity mappings to comprehend your database schema and ORM configuration. For instance, if you're planning to refactor a large controller, Atlas can read its contents, identify its dependencies, and suggest how to extract logic into a new service, all based on its understanding of your `config/services.yaml`. While in plan mode, Atlas does not run modifying commands like `bin/console doctrine:migrations:diff` or `PHP-CS-Fixer`; instead, it focuses on gathering information and drafting the plan, ensuring that all research is non-destructive and fully reversible.

How does Atlas ensure safety and review for Symfony changes?

Atlas prioritizes safety and review for Symfony changes through a multi-layered approach, starting with permission-gated tools and a read-only plan agent. Every proposed edit, even after transitioning to implementation, generates a unified diff for your approval, ensuring you maintain full control over your codebase in 2026.

The safety mechanisms in Atlas are fundamental to its workflow for Symfony developers. The plan agent's strict permissions, allowing writes only to the plan markdown, prevent any accidental modifications during the design phase. Once the plan is complete and you're ready to implement, the `plan_exit` tool facilitates a controlled transition to the build agent. Even in the build agent, Atlas maintains a high level of safety. Every single file edit proposed by Atlas is first computed as a unified diff and surfaced for your explicit approval before it is written to disk. This granular control means you can review every change, line by line, ensuring it aligns with your design and Symfony best practices. Furthermore, Atlas snapshots file changes as git patches, allowing for easy diffing and rolling back of edits if necessary. This robust review process, combined with Atlas's ability to read git branches, status, and diffs, provides a secure and auditable way to evolve your Symfony application.

How to transition from planning to implementing Symfony changes with Atlas?

Transitioning from planning to implementing Symfony changes with Atlas is a deliberate, user-controlled process managed by the `plan_exit` tool. Once your multi-file change plan is finalized in 2026, this tool prompts you to switch from the read-only plan agent to the build agent, initiating the actual code modification phase.

After you have thoroughly researched your Symfony codebase and documented your multi-file change plan within the allowed markdown file, the next step is to transition to implementation. This is achieved by calling the `plan_exit` tool. When invoked, `plan_exit` presents a clear prompt: 'Plan at <path> is complete. Would you like to switch to the build agent and start implementing?' This explicit question ensures that the shift from design to execution is intentional. If you answer 'Yes', Atlas direct hands off control to the build agent, which then gains the necessary permissions to modify files according to your approved plan. Answering 'No' will raise a `Question.RejectedError`, keeping you firmly within the plan agent, allowing you to continue refining your design without any risk of accidental code changes. This controlled handoff ensures that the planning phase is truly distinct from the implementation phase, providing a clear boundary for review and approval before any code is touched.

Step by step

01Start Atlas in plan mode within your Symfony project by running `atlas plan` to activate the read-only plan agent.
02Research your Symfony codebase using Atlas tools like `codebase_search`, `grep`, `read`, and `lsp` to understand controllers, services, and Doctrine entities.
03Document your multi-file change plan in the designated markdown file, typically located under `.atlas/plans/*.md`, detailing the proposed Symfony modifications.
04Call the `plan_exit` tool to signal plan completion and explicitly confirm switching to the build agent for implementation.
05Allow the build agent to propose and implement the planned Symfony changes, reviewing each unified diff for approval before writing.
06Have Atlas add `PHPUnit (WebTestCase)` coverage for any new or modified Symfony features, ensuring testability.
07Instruct Atlas to run `PHP-CS-Fixer` over the modified Symfony files, applying formatting standards to the diff.
08Approve the final changes and use Atlas's git integration to stage and create commits for your Symfony project.

Frequently asked questions

How does Atlas prevent accidental edits in my Symfony project during planning?: Atlas uses a dedicated plan agent with strictly permission-gated tools. This agent's permissions deny all edit operations for your Symfony codebase, allowing writes only to a specific plan markdown file. This ensures that research and design cannot accidentally turn into an edit.
Can Atlas understand my Symfony service container and Doctrine entities?: Yes, Atlas is designed to read and understand your Symfony application's structure. It parses `config/services.yaml` to comprehend autowired services and their dependencies, and it reads Doctrine entity mappings to understand your database schema and ORM configuration.
What happens if I decide not to implement a plan after drafting it with Atlas?: If you decide not to proceed with implementation, you can simply answer 'No' when prompted by the `plan_exit` tool. This will keep you in the plan agent, allowing you to refine or discard the plan without any code modifications being made to your Symfony project.
Does Atlas run `PHPUnit (WebTestCase)` or `PHP-CS-Fixer` during the planning phase?: No, during the planning phase, Atlas operates in a read-only mode and does not execute any modifying commands or tests. Tools like `PHPUnit (WebTestCase)` and `PHP-CS-Fixer` are integrated into the build agent's workflow, after the plan has been approved and implementation begins.
How does Atlas ensure my team can review my Symfony changes before they are committed?: Atlas computes a unified diff for every proposed file edit and surfaces it for your approval before writing. This allows for granular review. Additionally, Atlas reads git branches, status, and diffs, and can stage and create commits on your behalf, facilitating standard git-based team review processes for your Symfony project.
Can Atlas help me refactor a 'fat controller' in Symfony?: Yes, Atlas can assist in planning such a refactor. In plan mode, it can read your controller's code, analyze its dependencies, and help you design a strategy to move logic into injected services, understanding how this would interact with your `config/services.yaml` and other Symfony components, all before any code is changed.

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