> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.neo.projectdiscovery.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Tasks and Modes

> The fundamental unit of work in Neo, and how to control the depth of execution

A task is how you put Neo to work. You describe what you want (a target, an objective, a question) and Neo plans, executes, and returns results. Every pentest, code audit, triage run, or ad-hoc investigation is a task. Tasks accumulate in your workspace and feed into projects, issues, and reports over time.

Every task runs in one of two modes. The mode you choose controls how Neo approaches the work before executing.

## Fast mode

Neo skips the planning step and dispatches agents immediately. Best for focused, well-scoped asks: targeted scans, quick follow-ups, retesting a fix, or any task where the objective is narrow and clear.

**Faster. Lower cost.**

## Thorough mode

Before executing, Neo asks clarifying questions, builds a structured plan, and spins up parallel sub-agents for each part of the plan. This is the mode for depth: full-scope pentests, broad reconnaissance, multi-phase assessments, and any open-ended objective where a fast pass would miss things.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Clarify">
    Neo asks follow-up questions to narrow scope and understand constraints. The better your answers, the more targeted the plan.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Plan">
    Neo produces a structured plan using your answers, project context, and any prior task results. It reads files and searches knowledge during this phase but does not run active tools until the plan is ready. You can review the plan before execution begins.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Execute in parallel">
    Neo spins up parallel sub-agents for independent parts of the plan and runs them simultaneously, which is what makes it effective for broad objectives.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify">
    Before surfacing any finding, Neo independently re-tests it to confirm exploitability and severity. Findings that cannot be verified are discarded, not reported.
  </Step>
</Steps>

**Long running. Higher cost. Better output quality.**

## Choosing the right mode

Default to Thorough for anything open-ended or broad. Use Fast when you have a specific, well-scoped ask and want results quickly.

|                   | Fast                           | Thorough                              |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------- |
| **Planning step** | Skipped                        | Clarifying questions, structured plan |
| **Execution**     | Single agent, immediate        | Parallel sub-agents                   |
| **Best for**      | Focused, scoped tasks          | Broad objectives, full coverage       |
| **Cost**          | Lower                          | Higher                                |
| **When to use**   | You know exactly what you want | You want Neo to figure out the scope  |

## What a task produces

When a task completes, you get:

* **Findings**: confirmed vulnerabilities with full evidence, automatically filed to the Issues dashboard if integrations are connected
* **Trace**: every command, decision, and reasoning step, available for audit or replay
* **Report**: a summary of what was tested, what was found, and recommended next steps
* **Files**: any artifacts produced during the run, including scripts, payloads, and screenshots

Tasks stay open after completion. You can ask follow-up questions, dig deeper into any finding, or chain directly into a new task from where the previous one left off.