RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION / Jesse Vincent / Superpowers
Superpowers Writing Plans
Turns an agreed specification into file-specific implementation tasks with verification steps and a structured plan review.
“Use when you have a spec or requirements for a multi-step task, before touching code”
01 / THE REASONING
Why this made the selection.
- Makes each task name concrete files, expected behavior and meaningful failing/passing checks rather than leaving implementation placeholders.
- Adds a review prompt that looks for missing input classes, unclear ownership and gaps between the specification and planned tests.
02 / THE REVIEW RECORD
What we actually inspected.
Source review has boundaries.
A clear record is more useful than a “safe” badge.
Material inspected
- skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md
- skills/writing-plans/plan-document-reviewer-prompt.md
- README.md (installation, compatibility and licence sections)
- LICENSE
Our findings
- Both the skill and its plan-document-reviewer prompt were inspected. Review targets substantive omissions instead of stylistic nitpicks.
- The workflow preserves the user’s chosen execution approach and keeps plan review separate from implementation.
Not established by this review
- No implementation plan was generated or executed.
- The optional reviewer and execution skills were not run.
The review applies to the material and revision named here. A newer upstream release can change its behavior.
03 / PUT IT TO WORK
Add a skill to your workflow.
DOCUMENTED COMMAND
npx skills add https://github.com/obra/superpowers/tree/5bf4e78011075bcfc0dc295f0724994cd123ee71/skills/writing-plansCopying does not execute this command. It may retrieve a newer version than the reviewed source.
- Install the complete writing-plans directory, including its reviewer prompt.
- Use the publisher’s full suite or separately install the execution skill you intend to use; a plan alone does not execute work.
- Choose the intended host and project scope in the installer. The source revision is pinned; the installer itself is not executed or version-pinned by this review.
Before you start
- Node.js/npm and git for the documented Skills installer
- An agreed specification file and current repository context; write down informal requirements before using the required spec-linked plan format
- The named Superpowers execution skills if using its handoff flow; subagent support for delegated review
04 / FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The source trail.
Our notes are separate from the original resource.
Check upstream before adopting a new version.
https://github.com/obra/superpowers/blob/5bf4e78011075bcfc0dc295f0724994cd123ee71/skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md
Supports: summary, upstreamDescription, whySelected, bestFor, limitations, review, access
https://github.com/obra/superpowers/blob/5bf4e78011075bcfc0dc295f0724994cd123ee71/skills/writing-plans/plan-document-reviewer-prompt.md
Supports: review, limitations, install, access
https://github.com/obra/superpowers/blob/5bf4e78011075bcfc0dc295f0724994cd123ee71/README.md
Supports: install, compatibility, access, license
https://github.com/obra/superpowers/blob/5bf4e78011075bcfc0dc295f0724994cd123ee71/LICENSE
Supports: license, access.cost
https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills/blob/7407f3893ad4dceab546ac002c3ef806e4000c73/README.md
Supports: install
https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills/blob/7407f3893ad4dceab546ac002c3ef806e4000c73/src/git.ts
Supports: install
https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills/blob/7407f3893ad4dceab546ac002c3ef806e4000c73/src/source-parser.ts
Supports: install