Writing Skills
Writing Skills
Overview
Writing skills IS Test-Driven Development applied to process documentation.
Skills are written to ${SUPERPOWERS_SKILLS_ROOT} (cloned to ~/.config/superpowers/skills/). You edit skills in your local branch of this repository.
You write test cases (pressure scenarios with subagents), watch them fail (baseline behavior), write the skill (documentation), watch tests pass (agents comply), and refactor (close loopholes).
Core principle: If you didn't watch an agent fail without the skill, you don't know if the skill teaches the right thing.
See skills/testing/test-driven-development for the fundamental RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle. This skill adapts TDD to documentation.
What is a Skill?
A skill is a reference guide for proven techniques, patterns, or tools. Skills help future Claude instances find and apply effective approaches.
Skills are: Reusable techniques, patterns, tools, reference guides
More from obra/superpowers-skills
getting started with skills
Skills wiki intro - mandatory workflows, search tool, brainstorming triggers
292test-driven development (tdd)
Write the test first, watch it fail, write minimal code to pass
10brainstorming ideas into designs
Interactive idea refinement using Socratic method to develop fully-formed designs
10writing plans
Create detailed implementation plans with bite-sized tasks for engineers with zero codebase context
8systematic debugging
Four-phase debugging framework that ensures root cause investigation before attempting fixes. Never jump to solutions.
8code review reception
Receive and act on code review feedback with technical rigor, not performative agreement or blind implementation
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