Core Skill Activation Protocol
Establishes a mandatory protocol for discovering, announcing, and applying relevant skills before beginning any task.
SKILL.md
Full skill instructions
name description
using-superpowers
Core skill activation protocol - establishes mandatory workflows for finding and applying skills before any task
Superpowers Activation Protocol
Core Philosophy
"If a skill exists for your task, you MUST use it. No exceptions. No rationalizations."
Skills encode proven solutions. Ignoring them means repeating solved problems.
Mandatory First Response Protocol
Before ANY action, complete this mental checklist:
□ What skills might apply here? □ Have I checked the skill registry? □ Did I read the CURRENT version (not memory)? □ Am I following it exactly?
The Golden Rules
- Skills Are Not Optional
If a relevant skill exists → USE IT.
"This is just a simple question" → Still check for skills
"I can do this quickly" → Skills exist because "quick" becomes complex
"The skill is overkill" → Use it anyway
- Always Announce Skill Usage
"I'm using [Skill Name] to [what you're doing]."
- Checklists Require TodoWrite
If a skill has a checklist → Create todos for EACH item. Don't work through checklists mentally. Track them.
- Instructions ≠ Permission to Skip Workflows
User says "Fix X" → That's the WHAT, not the HOW. Still follow brainstorming, TDD, verification workflows.
Skill Categories
Category When to Use
Checkers Before assumptions, before actions
Collaboration Planning, brainstorming, executing plans
Debugging When something's broken
Problem-Solving When stuck
Testing TDD, test design
Meta Writing/improving skills
Quick Dispatch
Starting a feature → brainstorming → writing-plans → executing-plans Something broken → systematic-debugging or root-cause-tracing About to assume → assumption-checker About to modify → pre-action-verifier Claiming done → verification-before-completion
Anti-Patterns (Stop If You Think These)
Thought Reality
"I remember this skill" Skills evolve. Read current version.
"This doesn't need a skill" If skill exists, use it.
"Let me just do this first" Check skills BEFORE anything.
"This is simple" Simple tasks become complex. Use skills.
Integration with Checker Agents
Before taking action, the checker agents validate:
assumption-checker → Are you guessing?
context-validator → Do you have enough context?
intent-clarifier → Is the request clear?
pre-action-verifier → Are prerequisites met?
fact-checker → Are your claims about code accurate?
These checkers are strict mode - they halt and ask rather than proceeding.
Summary
Check for relevant skills FIRST
Announce you're using them
Follow them EXACTLY
Use TodoWrite for checklists
Verify before claiming completion