How to Access Skills

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 other environments: Check your platform's documentation for how skills are loaded.

Using Skills

The Rule

Invoke relevant or requested skills BEFORE any response or action. Even a 1% chance a skill might apply means 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.

When multiple skills could apply: process skills first (brainstorming, debugging), then implementation skills (executing-plans, tdd).

If you're thinking "this doesn't need a skill" — it probably does. Check BEFORE any action.

Planning Context

When starting a complex task (multi-step, research, >5 tool calls):

1. Check if .planning/ directory exists in the project root
2. If NOT found, run ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/init-planning-dir.sh to initialize it
3. If FOUND, read the existing planning files to recover context (see Session Recovery below)

The .planning/ directory is your "RAM on disk" -- persistent working memory that survives context resets.

Session Recovery

On session start, check for an existing .planning/ directory. If found:

1. Read .planning/progress.md -- Task Status Dashboard shows current status; session log shows what was done
2. Read .planning/findings.md -- recall discoveries and decisions
3. Run git diff --stat to see what changed since last session
4. Update planning files with recovered context
5. Continue with the task

Planning Approach Routing

When facing a non-trivial task (multi-step, architectural decisions, multi-file changes), do NOT automatically call EnterPlanMode or invoke brainstorming. Instead, present the choice to the user via AskUserQuestion:

Option 1: Quick Planning (Plan Mode) — Lightweight read-only exploration. Best for medium-scope tasks with known approach, quick alignment before implementation.

Option 2: Structured Brainstorming — Full brainstorming pipeline with design doc, spec interview, implementation plan. Best for complex features, creative design decisions, multi-file refactors.

When to skip this choice:

• Trivial tasks (typo, single-line fix) → just do it, no planning needed
• User explicitly requests one mode (e.g., "let's brainstorm", "/plan") → use what they asked for
• Already inside plan mode or brainstorming → continue the current flow

After Plan Mode completes: If the approved plan reveals complex work (3+ tasks, multiple files), suggest transitioning to brainstorming/writing-plans for a formal implementation plan. Plan mode output can inform writing-plans — reference it, don't re-derive.

Execution Routing

When the user requests plan execution (e.g., "execute the plan", "implement it", "start building"), do NOT directly invoke a single execution skill. Instead:

1. If no plan exists at docs/plans/*-implementation.md, invoke superpower-planning:writing-plans first.
2. If a plan exists, present the execution strategy choice via AskUserQuestion:
   • Subagent-Driven (this session, sequential) → superpower-planning:subagent-driven
   • Team-Driven (this session, parallel) → superpower-planning:team-driven
   • Parallel Session (separate session) → superpower-planning:executing-plans
3. Recommend based on: high parallelism + heavy tasks → Team-Driven; light serial → Subagent-Driven; manual checkpoints → Parallel Session.

Available Skills

User Instructions

Instructions say WHAT, not HOW. "Add X" or "Fix Y" doesn't mean skip workflows.