Originally published at cto.new
From Idea to PR: Using cto.new to Plan and Execute Tasks
The article describes how cto.new streamlines development by separating the planning phase from code execution. The platform uses two distinct modes—Chat and Tasks—to accelerate the development workflow.
Chat Mode: Planning and Context
Chat serves as a private workspace where developers can finalize requirements before writing code. The agent has access to the full codebase and understands the project's tech stack and coding conventions.
Developers can use Chat to:
- Scope the work and iterate on requirements
- Understand architectural placement for new code
- Build a step-by-step implementation plan
- Get feedback on architectural decisions
The author notes that "Chat keeps you in the planning phase without burning compute on trial-and-error coding," allowing rapid iteration on approach before actual development begins.
Tasks: Execution Phase
Once planning is complete, Tasks move development into execution. Tasks run asynchronously in a cloud-based virtual machine configured for the project.
When activated, the Task agent:
- Writes code based on the established plan
- Runs the project's test suite
- Self-corrects when tests fail
- Continues until completion
Pull Request Output
Completed Tasks automatically generate pull requests for team review, enabling standard code review workflows. For complex projects, Plan Mode forces the agent to post implementation plans as comments before coding—providing early design alignment.
Getting Started
Developers can begin by starting a Chat at cto.new and describing their project, then triggering a Task when ready.