Definition · foundations
plan-and-execute
plan-and-execute is an agent pattern that first creates a plan and then carries out its steps, revising when needed. You can spot plan-and-execute in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does plan-and-execute matter?
A plan gives later steps a clear order. The system can revise that order when a result changes the task. For plan-and-execute, start with three checks: What can the system observe? What choice can it make? What changes after it acts? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does plan-and-execute look like?
An agent lists three data checks, runs them, then changes the last check after a schema error. This example makes plan-and-execute visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is plan-and-execute easy to confuse with?
Plan-and-execute makes a plan before action. ReAct mixes thought, action, and feedback one step at a time. The closest entries here are perceive-act loop, prompt injection, planning workflow. Compare their definitions with plan-and-execute before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps plan-and-execute separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term plan-and-execute?
We have not verified who first introduced plan-and-execute. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before plan-and-execute?
Read artificial intelligence (AI) first when plan-and-execute depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use plan-and-execute to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What can the system observe?
- What choice can it make?
- What changes after it acts?
Which source supports this definition of plan-and-execute?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of plan-and-execute. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to plan-and-execute; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundplan-and-executeChecked 2026-07-12→