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Use when starting any conversation - establishes how to find and use skills, requiring Skill tool invocation before ANY response including clarifying questions
Install with Codex or Claude Copy this prompt, paste it into Codex, Claude, or another assistant, and let it review the skill page and install it for you.
Based on SOC occupation classification
Use when executing implementation plans with independent tasks in the current session
Formal evaluation framework for Claude Code sessions implementing eval-driven development (EDD) principles
Research-before-coding workflow. Search for existing tools, libraries, and patterns before writing custom code.
Use when context is growing large, responses are slow, or you need to optimize token budget across system prompt, background processes, and model selection
A comprehensive verification system for Claude Code sessions.
Use when implementing any feature or bugfix, before writing implementation code
| name | using-superpowers-ecc |
| description | Use when starting any conversation - establishes how to find and use skills, requiring Skill tool invocation before ANY response including clarifying questions |
IF A SKILL APPLIES TO YOUR TASK, YOU DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE. YOU MUST USE IT.
This is not negotiable. This is not optional. You cannot rationalize your way out of this.
Superpowers-ecc skills override default system prompt behavior, but user instructions always take precedence:
If CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md says "don't use TDD" and a skill says "always use TDD," follow the user's instructions. The user is in control.
In Claude Code: Use the Skill tool. When you invoke a skill, its content is loaded and presented to you—follow it directly. Never use the Read tool on skill files.
In Cursor / OpenCode / Codex CLI: Check your platform's documentation for how skills are loaded. Cross-platform config files are in .cursor/, .opencode/, and .codex/ respectively.
Skills use Claude Code tool names. Non-CC platforms: see references/codex-tools.md (Codex) for tool equivalents.
Invoke relevant or requested skills BEFORE any response or action. Even a 1% chance a skill might apply means that you should invoke the skill to check. If an invoked skill turns out to be wrong for the situation, you don't need to use it.
digraph skill_flow {
"User message received" [shape=doublecircle];
"About to EnterPlanMode?" [shape=doublecircle];
"Already brainstormed?" [shape=diamond];
"Invoke brainstorming skill" [shape=box];
"Might any skill apply?" [shape=diamond];
"Invoke Skill tool" [shape=box];
"Announce: 'Using [skill] to [purpose]'" [shape=box];
"Has checklist?" [shape=diamond];
"Create TodoWrite todo per item" [shape=box];
"Follow skill exactly" [shape=box];
"Respond (including clarifications)" [shape=doublecircle];
"About to EnterPlanMode?" -> "Already brainstormed?";
"Already brainstormed?" -> "Invoke brainstorming skill" [label="no"];
"Already brainstormed?" -> "Might any skill apply?" [label="yes"];
"Invoke brainstorming skill" -> "Might any skill apply?";
"User message received" -> "Might any skill apply?";
"Might any skill apply?" -> "Invoke Skill tool" [label="yes, even 1%"];
"Might any skill apply?" -> "Respond (including clarifications)" [label="definitely not"];
"Invoke Skill tool" -> "Announce: 'Using [skill] to [purpose]'";
"Announce: 'Using [skill] to [purpose]'" -> "Has checklist?";
"Has checklist?" -> "Create TodoWrite todo per item" [label="yes"];
"Has checklist?" -> "Follow skill exactly" [label="no"];
"Create TodoWrite todo per item" -> "Follow skill exactly";
}
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. |
When multiple skills could apply, use this order:
"Let's build X" → brainstorming first, then implementation skills. "Fix this bug" → debugging first, then domain-specific skills.
Rigid (TDD, debugging): Follow exactly. Don't adapt away discipline.
Flexible (patterns): Adapt principles to context.
The skill itself tells you which.
Instructions say WHAT, not HOW. "Add X" or "Fix Y" doesn't mean skip workflows.
Superpowers-ecc uses two complementary layers for agent-based work:
Skills like subagent-driven-development contain execution machinery — they define how to decompose work, dispatch subagents via the Task tool, and coordinate results. These are process skills that drive multi-agent workflows from within a conversation.
When to use: You're executing a multi-step implementation plan and need to parallelize work across subagents. The skill itself orchestrates the dispatch.
Key skills: subagent-driven-development, dispatching-parallel-agents, executing-plans
The agents/ directory contains domain-expert agents — specialized consultants you dispatch via commands. Each agent has a focused system prompt and a narrow domain of expertise.
| Agent | Domain |
|---|---|
planner | Breaks down tasks into phased implementation plans |
architect | System design, component boundaries, dependency analysis |
code-reviewer | Code quality, patterns, correctness |
security-reviewer | OWASP-based security analysis |
build-error-resolver | Diagnoses and fixes build/compile errors |
refactor-cleaner | Identifies and executes safe refactors |
e2e-runner | Runs and debugs end-to-end test suites |
When to use: You need a focused expert opinion or to delegate a well-scoped task (review this PR, analyze this architecture, fix this build error). Dispatch via the appropriate command.
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| Multi-step implementation with parallelism | Layer 1 (embedded subagent prompts) |
| Focused expert task (review, analysis, diagnosis) | Layer 2 (standalone agents) |
| Complex project requiring both coordination and expertise | Both — Layer 1 orchestrates, Layer 2 agents get dispatched as subagents |
Superpowers-ecc persists state across conversations in ~/.claude/superpowers-ecc/.
Sessions maintain context across multiple conversations on the same project or task. When a session is active, the agent has access to prior decisions, plans, and progress — avoiding the cold-start problem of each conversation starting from scratch.
The instinct system accumulates learned patterns with confidence scores. As the agent encounters repeated situations, successful approaches get reinforced and unsuccessful ones get deprioritized. Instincts represent "muscle memory" — things the agent has learned work well in this codebase or for this user.
Each instinct has:
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
/learn | Capture a new learning from the current context |
/evolve | Review and update existing instincts based on new evidence |
/instinct-status | Show current instincts and their confidence scores |
Beyond the 14 superpowers-origin skills, superpowers-ecc adds 10 skills that extend coverage into security, operations, continuous learning, and development rigor:
| Skill | What it adds |
|---|---|
security-review | OWASP-based security checklist for code and architecture review |
continuous-learning-v2 | Instinct system with confidence scoring — the learning engine behind /learn, /evolve, /instinct-status |
search-first | Enforces research-before-coding discipline — read docs, search issues, check prior art |
eval-harness | Eval-driven development with grader types (exact, llm, human) and pass@k metrics |
verification-loop | Continuous build/test/lint/typecheck verification — catches breakage as you code |
strategic-compact | Token-aware compaction suggestions — when to compact and what to preserve |
token-optimization | System prompt slimming, model selection guidance, context budget management |
api-design | REST patterns, pagination, error responses, versioning conventions |
deployment-patterns | CI/CD pipelines, Docker configuration, health checks, rollback strategies |
e2e-testing | Playwright end-to-end testing patterns, selectors, fixtures, debugging |
All 24 skills grouped by category:
| Skill | Purpose |
|---|---|
brainstorming | Structured ideation before implementation |
writing-plans | Phased implementation plans with clear deliverables |
executing-plans | Plan execution with progress tracking |
test-driven-development | Red-green-refactor TDD discipline |
systematic-debugging | Hypothesis-driven bug investigation |
subagent-driven-development | Multi-agent parallel execution |
dispatching-parallel-agents | Parallel subagent dispatch patterns |
| Skill | Purpose |
|---|---|
finishing-a-development-branch | Branch completion checklist |
requesting-code-review | How to request and structure code reviews |
receiving-code-review | How to process and act on review feedback |
verification-before-completion | Final verification before marking work done |
using-git-worktrees | Git worktree workflows for parallel development |
writing-skills | How to author new skills |
| Skill | Purpose |
|---|---|
using-superpowers-ecc | This skill — how to find and use all other skills |
| Skill | Purpose |
|---|---|
security-review | OWASP-based security analysis |
verification-loop | Continuous build/test/lint/typecheck verification |
| Skill | Purpose |
|---|---|
search-first | Research before coding |
eval-harness | Eval-driven development with grader types and pass@k |
e2e-testing | Playwright end-to-end testing patterns |
| Skill | Purpose |
|---|---|
api-design | REST patterns, pagination, error responses |
deployment-patterns | CI/CD, Docker, health checks |
| Skill | Purpose |
|---|---|
continuous-learning-v2 | Instinct system with confidence scoring |
strategic-compact | Token-aware compaction suggestions |
token-optimization | System prompt slimming, model selection |