/superpowers

name: superpowers
description: Use when the user wants a disciplined software development workflow with design-first planning, implementation plans, TDD, systematic debugging, code review, or verification-before-completion, adapted from obra/superpowers.

Superpowers

Overview

Use this skill when the user wants a stronger engineering workflow inside NextClaw.

This marketplace skill adapts the upstream `obra/superpowers` project into a single installable NextClaw skill. Because NextClaw marketplace installs one skill directory at a time, this package provides:

• one top-level workflow router,
• bundled local reference files for the most useful upstream superpowers skills,
• and clear rules for when to load which reference.

Be explicit about the boundary:

• This skill owns workflow selection, expectation-setting, and reference routing.
• The bundled reference files own the detailed superpowers methodology.
• NextClaw, the current project rules, and the actual tool runtime own execution.

Do not present bundled superpowers guidance as a higher-priority authority than the user's instructions, the current project's `AGENTS.md`, or the host platform's rules.

What This Skill Covers

• design-first brainstorming before implementation,
• implementation plan writing for multi-step work,
• test-driven development for feature and bugfix work,
• root-cause-first debugging,
• pre-merge or post-task code review prompts,
• evidence-before-claims verification,
• optional subagent-driven execution when the environment actually supports it.

What This Skill Does Not Cover

• overriding user instructions or project rulebooks,
• pretending NextClaw natively supports the upstream superpowers multi-directory auto-discovery model,
• forcing subagent workflows when the current runtime does not support them,
• claiming a workflow step happened when the needed evidence was not actually collected,
• replacing domain-specific project skills that are more specific than this general workflow skill.

Install Boundary

Always distinguish these paths:

• NextClaw marketplace install:

`nextclaw skills install superpowers`

• Installed NextClaw skill assets:

`<workspace>/skills/superpowers/`

• Upstream standalone installation outside NextClaw:

clone `https://github.com/obra/superpowers` and follow the upstream install docs

For NextClaw users, prefer the marketplace-installed assets already bundled under `skills/superpowers/`.

Do not ask the user to install the upstream repo separately unless they explicitly want the original Codex or Claude plugin setup outside NextClaw.

Deterministic First-Use Workflow

When this skill triggers, follow this order.

Step 0: Verify bundled references exist

Check:

test -f skills/superpowers/references/brainstorming.md
test -f skills/superpowers/references/systematic-debugging.md

If either file is missing, the skill is not correctly installed in the current workspace.

Step 1: Classify the user's need

Choose the smallest matching workflow:

• feature or behavior design,
• implementation planning,
• implementation or bugfix execution,
• debugging an existing problem,
• review before merge or handoff,
• verification before claiming completion,
• plan execution with parallel agents.

Step 2: Load only the matching reference

Read only the smallest relevant reference instead of loading everything at once:

• design or requirements refinement:

[references/brainstorming.md](references/brainstorming.md)

• implementation plan writing:

[references/writing-plans.md](references/writing-plans.md)

• implementation or bugfix execution:

[references/test-driven-development.md](references/test-driven-development.md)

• debugging and root-cause analysis:

[references/systematic-debugging.md](references/systematic-debugging.md)

• pre-merge or task-level review:

[references/requesting-code-review.md](references/requesting-code-review.md)

• before saying work is done:

[references/verification-before-completion.md](references/verification-before-completion.md)

• executing an approved plan with agent delegation:

[references/subagent-driven-development.md](references/subagent-driven-development.md)

Do not bulk-read all references unless the task truly spans multiple workflow stages.

Step 3: Reconcile with host rules before acting

Before following any bundled superpowers guidance, reconcile it with:

• the user's explicit request,
• the current repository's `AGENTS.md`,
• the host runtime's tool and permission model,
• and any more specific installed skill that directly matches the task.

If there is a conflict, follow the higher-priority local rule and use the bundled superpowers material as methodology, not authority.

Step 4: Execute with honest boundaries

• Prefer the project's existing validation and review commands when they already exist.
• If the current repository has stricter branching, testing, review, or release rules, follow those.
• If the environment lacks multi-agent support, skip the subagent path and continue with the non-delegated workflow.
• If the task is trivial, keep the workflow compact rather than theatrical, but still choose an explicit workflow.

Workflow Routing Guidance

New feature, refactor, or behavior change

Start with:

• [references/brainstorming.md](references/brainstorming.md)

If the work becomes multi-step or cross-module, continue with:

• [references/writing-plans.md](references/writing-plans.md)

During implementation, use:

• [references/test-driven-development.md](references/test-driven-development.md)

Before declaring success, use:

• [references/verification-before-completion.md](references/verification-before-completion.md)

Bug, failing test, or unexpected behavior

Start with:

• [references/systematic-debugging.md](references/systematic-debugging.md)

Once root cause is understood and a fix is ready, use:

• [references/test-driven-development.md](references/test-dr