Superpowers
Superpowers is a system of guided workflows (skills) that Alex V2 automatically activates. Each skill defines an exact procedure for a specific type of task — debugging, TDD, brainstorming, planning, and more.
What Are Superpowers
Superpowers are behavioral templates that change how Alex approaches tasks. Instead of improvising, Alex loads the relevant skill and follows its procedure step by step.
Alex has access to a skill tool that loads skill content from a catalog. The loaded skill takes precedence over Alex’s default behavior.
Available Skills
| Skill | When Activated | Description |
|---|---|---|
| brainstorming | New feature, component, behavior change | Structured brainstorming before implementation |
| systematic-debugging | Bug, test failure, unexpected behavior | Systematic root cause finding before proposing a fix |
| test-driven-development | Writing production code | Failing test first, then implementation |
| verification-before-completion | ”Done”, “fixed”, “passing” | Evidence-based verification, not assertions |
| writing-plans | Multi-step spec or design | Writing a structured plan |
| executing-plans | Existing plan to execute | Executing planned steps |
| subagent-driven-development | Complex multi-step task | Delegation to specialized sub-agents |
| dispatching-parallel-agents | 2+ independent tasks | Parallel sub-agent execution |
| requesting-code-review | Sending code for review | Preparing context for code review |
| receiving-code-review | Receiving review results | Processing and implementing feedback |
| finishing-a-development-branch | Completing a dev branch | Cleanup, tests, merge preparation |
| using-git-worktrees | Parallel work on multiple branches | Git worktree management |
| writing-skills | Creating new skills | How to write custom Superpowers |
The Rule of 1 %
If there is even a 1% chance a skill is relevant to the current task, Alex must load and check it. This rule ensures no relevant skill is ever skipped.
Instruction Priority
The priority order determines what Alex does:
- Your direct instructions — “skip TDD”, “just do it” — always win
- Superpowers skills — override default behavior where they conflict
- Default behavior — lowest priority
If a skill says “always use TDD” but you say “skip tests”, Alex follows your instructions.
How It Looks in Practice
Example: Bug Report
- You report a bug: “Server crashes after restart”
- Alex loads the systematic-debugging skill
- Follows the exact procedure: collects logs, finds root cause, proposes fix
- After fixing, loads verification-before-completion to verify the bug is actually resolved
Example: New Feature
- You ask: “Add WebSocket support”
- Alex loads the brainstorming skill
- Performs brainstorming, asks for your decisions (using interactive questions)
- Creates a plan using writing-plans
- Implements using subagent-driven-development
Companion Files
Some skills contain supplementary files — templates, examples, reference documentation. The main SKILL.md tells Alex when to load them. Alex accesses them via the same skill tool.
Examples of companion files:
- visual-companion.md — visual guide for brainstorming (see Visual Companion)
- references/ — reference docs for tools across platforms
- scripts/ — executable scripts for testing and demonstration
Sub-agents and Skills
Sub-agents do not have access to the skill tool. When Alex delegates a task to a sub-agent, it passes instructions in plain language — with the discipline from the skill already applied.
Next Steps
- Alex AI — Introduction to Alex
- Interactive Questions — How Alex asks for decisions
- Visual Companion — Visual brainstorming guide
Need help? Open a support ticket or ask Alex in your panel.