using-superpowers by obra

Decision brief

What it does—and where it fits

Invoke relevant or requested skills BEFORE any response or action — including clarifying questions, exploring the codebase, or checking files. If it turns out wrong for the situation, you don't have to use it.

Best for

Use when starting any conversation - establishes how to find and use skills, requiring skill invocation before ANY response including clarifying questions

Not for

Tasks that require unconfirmed production actions or broad system permissions.
Environments where the pinned source and install steps cannot be inspected.

Compatibility matrix

Platform support, with evidence labels

Platform	Status	Evidence	What to check
Codex	Not declared	No explicit evidence	Portability before use
Claude Code	Not declared	No explicit evidence	Portability before use
Cursor	Not declared	No explicit evidence	Portability before use
Gemini CLI	Not declared	No explicit evidence	Portability before use

Open the compatibility checker

Installation

Inspect first. Install second.

The source command is displayed only when detected. A safe inspection prompt is always available so your agent can explain every action before execution.

Source-detected install commandSource

npx skills add https://github.com/obra/superpowers --skill "skills/using-superpowers"

Safe inspection promptEditorial

Inspect the Agent Skill "using-superpowers" from https://github.com/obra/superpowers/blob/3dcbd5c4b48e02263fbf4a3c01e3fe4f81d584d9/skills/using-superpowers/SKILL.md at commit 3dcbd5c4b48e02263fbf4a3c01e3fe4f81d584d9. List every install step, command, network request, credential, file read/write, external action, and rollback step. Explain whether it fits my task. Do not install or execute anything until I approve.

Workflow

What the source asks the agent to do

01
User Instructions
User instructions (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, GEMINI.md, etc, direct requests) take precedence over skills, which in turn override default behavior. Only skip skill workflows or instructions when your human partner has explicitly told you to.
User instructions (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, GEMINI.md, etc, direct requests) take precedence over skills, which in turn override default behavior. Only skip skill workflows or instructions when your human partner has expli…
02
The Rule
Invoke relevant or requested skills BEFORE any response or action — including clarifying questions, exploring the codebase, or checking files. If it turns out wrong for the situation, you don't have to use it.
Invoke relevant or requested skills BEFORE any response or action — including clarifying questions, exploring the codebase, or checking files. If it turns out wrong for the situation, you don't have to use it.Before entering plan mode: if you haven't already brainstormed, invoke the brainstorming skill first.Then announce "Using [skill] to [purpose]" and follow the skill exactly. If it has a checklist, create a todo per item.
03
Skill Priority
When multiple skills apply, process skills come first — they set the approach, then implementation skills (frontend-design, etc.) carry it out. Brainstorming and systematic-debugging are Superpowers' most common process skills, but the rule holds for any of them.
"Let's build X" → superpowers:brainstorming first, then implementation skills."Fix this bug" → superpowers:systematic-debugging first, then domain skills.When multiple skills apply, process skills come first — they set the approach, then implementation skills (frontend-design, etc.) carry it out. Brainstorming and systematic-debugging are Superpowers' most common process…
04
Red Flags
These thoughts mean STOP—you're rationalizing:
These thoughts mean STOP—you're rationalizing:

Permission review

Static risk signals and limitations

Reads files

low · line 49

The documentation asks the agent to read local files, directories, or repositories.

If your harness appears here, read its reference file for special instructions:

Evidence record

Why each signal appears

EvidenceSourceComputedTestedEditorial

Signal	Value	Evidence type	Meaning
Quality score	60/100	Computed	Documentation, specificity, maintenance, and trust rules
Repository stars	262,331	Source	Repository attention, not individual Skill quality
Compatibility	0 platforms	Source	Declared in the catalog source record
Usage guide	automated source guide	Editorial	Generated or reviewed according to the visible evidence level

Pinned source

Provenance and original SKILL.md

Repository: obra/superpowers
Skill path: skills/using-superpowers/SKILL.md
Commit: 3dcbd5c4b48e02263fbf4a3c01e3fe4f81d584d9
License: MIT
Collected: 2026-07-28
Default branch: main

View the original SKILL.md

IF A SKILL APPLIES TO YOUR TASK, YOU DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE. YOU MUST USE IT.

This is not negotiable. You cannot rationalize your way out of this.

The Rule

Invoke relevant or requested skills BEFORE any response or action — including clarifying questions, exploring the codebase, or checking files. If it turns out wrong for the situation, you don't have to use it.

Before entering plan mode: if you haven't already brainstormed, invoke the brainstorming skill first.

Then announce "Using [skill] to [purpose]" and follow the skill exactly. If it has a checklist, create a todo per item.

Skill Priority

When multiple skills apply, process skills come first — they set the approach, then implementation skills (frontend-design, etc.) carry it out. Brainstorming and systematic-debugging are Superpowers' most common process skills, but the rule holds for any of them.

"Let's build X" → superpowers:brainstorming first, then implementation skills.
"Fix this bug" → superpowers:systematic-debugging first, then domain skills.

Red Flags

These thoughts mean STOP—you're rationalizing:

Thought	Reality
"This is just a simple question"	Questions are tasks. Check for skills.
"I need more context first"	Skill check comes BEFORE clarifying questions.
"Let me explore the codebase first"	Skills tell you HOW to explore. Check first.
"I can check git/files quickly"	Files lack conversation context. Check for skills.
"Let me gather information first"	Skills tell you HOW to gather information.
"This doesn't need a formal skill"	If a skill exists, use it.
"I remember this skill"	Skills evolve. Read current version.
"This doesn't count as a task"	Action = task. Check for skills.
"The skill is overkill"	Simple things become complex. Use it.
"I'll just do this one thing first"	Check BEFORE doing anything.
"This feels productive"	Undisciplined action wastes time. Skills prevent this.
"I know what that means"	Knowing the concept ≠ using the skill. Invoke it.

Platform Adaptation

If your harness appears here, read its reference file for special instructions:

Codex: references/codex-tools.md
Pi: references/pi-tools.md
Antigravity: references/antigravity-tools.md

User Instructions

User instructions (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, GEMINI.md, etc, direct requests) take precedence over skills, which in turn override default behavior. Only skip skill workflows or instructions when your human partner has explicitly told you to.