Entry Modes

The Security Planner supports two entry modes that control how Phase 1 scoping begins. Each mode is activated through a dedicated prompt file that sets the initial state and determines how much context the agent gathers before starting the analysis.

From-PRD Mode

From-PRD mode seeds Phase 1 from PRD or BRD artifacts already present in the workspace. Use this mode when formal requirements documents exist under .copilot-tracking/.

How It Works

1. The agent scans .copilot-tracking/ for PRD and BRD files.
2. Discovered artifacts are presented with ✅/❌ markers showing which were found.
3. The agent extracts six categories of scope information: project purpose, technology stack, deployment model, data classification, compliance requirements, and AI/ML components.
4. State is initialized with entryMode: "from-prd" and the extracted references stored in referencesProcessed.
5. Phase 1 begins with a checklist of pre-filled items and 3-5 clarifying questions for gaps.

Prompt File

Activate From-PRD mode with the Security Plan from PRD prompt (security-plan-from-prd.prompt.md). This prompt accepts an optional project-slug input parameter.

Inputs:
  project-slug (optional) — Kebab-case project identifier

When to Choose From-PRD Mode

Situation	Fit
PRD or BRD artifacts exist in .copilot-tracking/	✅
Product requirements are well-documented	✅
Early-stage project without formal docs	❌
Quick exploration of the agent's workflow	❌

Capture Mode

Capture mode starts with a blank Phase 1 interview. Use this mode when no formal requirements documents exist or when you want to walk through scoping from scratch.

How It Works

1. The agent creates the project directory under .copilot-tracking/security-plans/.
2. State is initialized with entryMode: "capture" and empty referencesProcessed.
3. Phase 1 begins with a structured interview, asking 3-5 questions per turn.
4. The agent accumulates scope information across multiple turns until the user confirms Phase 1 is complete.

Prompt File

Activate capture mode with the Security Capture prompt (security-capture.prompt.md). This prompt also accepts an optional project-slug input parameter.

Inputs:
  project-slug (optional) — Kebab-case project identifier

If the user provides existing security notes or context in the initial message, the agent incorporates them into the interview rather than asking redundant questions.

When to Choose Capture Mode

Situation	Fit
No PRD or BRD artifacts available	✅
Team wants to explore the workflow interactively	✅
Existing informal notes to incorporate	✅
Well-documented project with formal artifacts	❌

Comparing the Two Modes

Both modes converge at the same Phase 1 output. The difference is how much context the agent starts with.

Aspect	From-PRD	Capture
Initial context	Extracted from PRD/BRD	Gathered through interview
Number of questions	Fewer (gaps only)	More (full scope interview)
Time to Phase 2	Faster	Slower but more thorough
State initialization	entryMode: "from-prd"	entryMode: "capture"
Best for	Projects with existing documentation	Projects in early stages

Switching Between Modes

Entry mode is set once during Phase 1 initialization and cannot be changed mid-plan. To switch modes, start a new chat session with the other prompt file and a different project slug (or the same slug after removing the existing state directory).

NOTE

Both modes produce identical Phase 2-6 workflows. The choice only affects how Phase 1 scope is gathered.

🤖 Crafted with precision by ✨Copilot following brilliant human instruction, then carefully refined by our team of discerning human reviewers.