Getting Started with Skills
Getting Started with Skills
Critical Rules
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Use Read tool before announcing skill usage. The session-start hook does NOT read skills for you. Announcing without calling Read = lying.
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Follow mandatory workflows. Brainstorming before coding. Check for skills before ANY task.
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Create TodoWrite todos for checklists. Mental tracking = steps get skipped. Every time.
Mandatory Workflow: Before ANY Task
1. Check skills list at session start, or run find-skills [PATTERN] to filter.
2. If relevant skill exists, YOU MUST use it:
- Use Read tool with full path:
${SUPERPOWERS_SKILLS_ROOT}/skills/category/skill-name/SKILL.md - Read ENTIRE file, not just frontmatter
More from obra/superpowers-skills
test-driven development (tdd)
Write the test first, watch it fail, write minimal code to pass
11brainstorming ideas into designs
Interactive idea refinement using Socratic method to develop fully-formed designs
11writing plans
Create detailed implementation plans with bite-sized tasks for engineers with zero codebase context
9systematic debugging
Four-phase debugging framework that ensures root cause investigation before attempting fixes. Never jump to solutions.
9code review reception
Receive and act on code review feedback with technical rigor, not performative agreement or blind implementation
8executing plans
Execute detailed plans in batches with review checkpoints
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