Superpowers
A set of composable skills and instructions that guide coding agents through planning, TDD, and reviewed devel
- Stars
- 311k
- Forks
- 27.7k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Shell
- Last update
- 7 days ago
- Type
- Framework
What it is
Superpowers is a software development methodology for AI coding agents, built from a set of reusable skills plus instructions that make sure the agent actually uses them. When you start building something, the agent asks what you want, shows you a design in short chunks, then writes an implementation plan and works through the tasks with review along the way. It is installed as a plugin into a specific coding agent tool rather than run on its own.
- Start a new feature by having the agent brainstorm and produce a written design before any code is written
- Have an agent break a design into an implementation plan and execute tasks one at a time with review
- Use the brainstorming skill to refine a vague idea through questions before building
- Use the workflow's git worktree step to isolate work on a new branch
Great for
- Developers who already use a supported coding agent such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or Gemini CLI
- People who want the agent to plan and design before writing code
- Teams who want agents to follow test-driven development and review steps on multi-task work
- Developers who are willing to let an agent work through a plan for long stretches with less supervision
Not ideal for
- People who do not use any of the listed coding agent harnesses, since it is a plugin for those tools and not a standalone app
- Developers who prefer to write code themselves step by step and do not want an agent driving the process
- Anyone who needs a tool with a guaranteed outcome, since the README describes methodology and skills, not measured results
How to get it
- 1
See the README
You'll need: A supported coding agent, such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, or another listed harness
Claude Code (official marketplace)
/plugin install superpowers@claude-plugins-officialGemini CLI
gemini extensions install https://github.com/obra/superpowersHermes Agent
hermes plugins install obra/superpowers --enable - 2
Run it
- Pick the install command for the coding agent you use, since installation differs by harness
- Restart the agent or start a fresh session after installing
- Describe something you want to build and watch whether the brainstorming skill triggers before code is written
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Install separately for each harness if you use more than one, as the README instructs
- Use the update command for your harness to stay on the latest version, for example gemini extensions update superpowers
- Follow the basic workflow in order: brainstorming, then git worktrees, then planning and execution
- Check the docs folder for harness-specific guides such as docs/README.opencode.md or docs/README.kimi.md
Downloads
Strengths
- Installs across many agent tools, with separate install steps for each one listed in the README
- Skills trigger automatically, so the user does not have to invoke them by hand
- The README describes a clear workflow from design to plan to execution
Trade-offs
- It is tied to the coding agent tools it supports, and each harness needs its own install
- The README's claims about autonomous multi-hour work are described qualitatively and are not backed by measured results in the excerpt
- Some harnesses note limitations, such as Hermes losing the bootstrap in very long sessions after compaction
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| superpowers (this) | 311k | Framework | beginner | 7 days ago | Developers who already use a supported coding agent such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or Gemini CLI |
| cc-switch | 151k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who use several AI coding agents and switch between API providers often |
| agent-skills | 113k | Other | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who already use an AI coding agent and want more structured, test-driven output |
| OpenSpec | 73.7k | Dev tool | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who use AI coding assistants and want to agree on requirements before code is written |
| beads | 28.4k | Dev tool | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers who run coding agents such as Claude Code or Codex on multi-step projects |
| khazix-skills | 21.8k | Curated list | beginner | 1 months ago | Developers already using Claude Code, Codex, or another Agent Skills-compatible agent who want ready-made skills |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.