How to Use Superpowers with Claude Code, Codex & Cursor (2026)

Mar 18, 2026

Superpowers is a plugin that makes AI coding assistants follow a disciplined workflow — brainstorming, planning, TDD, and review. This guide covers how to install it in Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor, verify it’s working, and use it day to day.

Quick Start: How to Use Superpowers with Claude Code, Codex & Cursor

The short version — zero to a working Superpowers setup in under a minute, on any platform:

Platform	Install	Verify
Claude Code	`/plugin install superpowers@claude-plugins-official`	new session → “Help me plan this feature”
Cursor	`/add-plugin superpowers`	new chat → describe a task
Codex	`Fetch and follow instructions from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obra/superpowers/refs/heads/main/.codex/INSTALL.md`	new session → describe a task
Gemini CLI	`gemini extensions install https://github.com/obra/superpowers`	new session → describe a task

Then verify — in a fresh session, type:

Help me plan this feature

If the assistant replies with something like “I’m using the brainstorming skill to explore this feature idea…”, the plugin is active. You don’t invoke skills manually; just describe the task and Superpowers picks the right workflow automatically.

Full install details and alternatives for each platform below, plus a real-world example of what the workflow looks like after installation.

How to Install Superpowers

How to Install Superpowers in Claude Code (recommended)

The simplest method uses the official plugin marketplace:

/plugin install superpowers@claude-plugins-official

After this command, all skills are installed and enabled automatically.

If you prefer the alternative marketplace:

/plugin marketplace add obra/superpowers-marketplace

Then install:

/plugin install superpowers@superpowers-marketplace

How to Use Superpowers with Cursor

Two options in Cursor:

Option 1: Agent chat command

/add-plugin superpowers

Option 2: Plugin marketplace

Open the plugin marketplace (Cmd+Shift+X or Ctrl+Shift+X)
Search for “superpowers”
Click Install

How to Use Superpowers with Codex

With Codex, I point it at the official install instructions:

Fetch and follow instructions from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obra/superpowers/refs/heads/main/.codex/INSTALL.md

How to Use Superpowers with Gemini CLI

Gemini CLI uses its own extension flow:

gemini extensions install https://github.com/obra/superpowers

How to Verify Superpowers Is Working

After installation, verify with skill-triggering phrases in a fresh session.

Test 1: Brainstorming skill

User: "Help me plan this feature"

Claude: "I'm using the brainstorming skill to explore this feature idea.
Let me ask some clarifying questions first..."

Test 2: Debugging skill

User: "Let's debug this issue"

Claude: "I'm using the systematic-debugging skill to investigate.
First, let me understand the root cause..."

If you see the skill announcement (“I’m using the [skill-name] skill…”), the installation succeeded. If not, jump to the troubleshooting section.

How Superpowers Skills Work

Superpowers activates the right skill at the right time, automatically: brainstorming for exploring features, planning for breaking work down, TDD for test-first implementation, systematic debugging for root causes, and a final review pass. Describing the task (“plan this”, “debug this”, “implement this”) triggers the workflow, so the assistant asks clarifying questions, plans before coding, writes tests first, and reviews the result — instead of jumping straight to code.

What it Looks Like After Installation: A Real Example

Installation alone doesn’t tell you much — here’s the actual flow I get now, from a normal request through to code review.

Say I ask for something ordinary:

User: "Add a password reset flow to our web app"

Step 1 — Brainstorming. Instead of writing code, Claude opens with clarifying questions:

Claude: "I'm using the brainstorming skill to plan this feature. A few questions first:

1. Should reset links expire, and after how long?
2. What identity provider are we using (Auth0, Firebase, custom)?
3. Where should the reset email be sent from (transactional provider)?
4. Do we need rate limiting on the reset endpoint?
5. What's the existing user model and database schema?"

Step 2 — Plan. Once I answer, it produces a task breakdown:

Claude: "Based on that, here's the plan:

1. Add `password_resets` table with token + expiry
2. Create the request-reset endpoint and email job
3. Build the reset form and token validation
4. Write tests for expiry, missing user, and rate limiting
5. Wire up the API routes"

Step 3 — TDD.

Claude: "Starting with tests. I'll write failing tests for the reset endpoint first,
then implement to make them pass."

Step 4 — Implementation. It implements against those tests and runs the suite.

Step 5 — Review. Finally, it reviews the finished diff against the plan:

Claude: "Reviewing the implementation now. The plan called for rate limiting
on the reset endpoint — that's missing. Let me add it."

Platform Differences

Not all platforms support the same features:

Platform	Subagent Support	Notes
Claude Code	Yes	Best experience — full subagent support and parallel analysis
Cursor	Yes	Full skill support, matches Claude Code
Codex	Limited	Uses executing-plans instead of subagent-driven-development
Gemini CLI	Limited	Skills activate via activate_skill tool; some steps need explicit calls
OpenCode	Yes	Full skill support

Practical takeaways:

Claude Code and Cursor: everything works automatically.
Codex and Gemini CLI: skills still run, but with reduced parallel capability. When a skill doesn’t run fully, I make the request explicit: “Use the brainstorming skill to plan this feature.”

Updating

Superpowers updates through the plugin system:

/plugin update superpowers

I run this periodically to pick up new skills and fixes.

Troubleshooting

Skills not activating

If the skill announcement never appears, there are two common causes: the request didn’t match a trigger phrase, or the install didn’t complete. Verify with:

/plugin list

If superpowers isn’t listed, reinstall. If it is listed, phrase the request more explicitly, e.g. “Help me plan this feature”.

Partial skill execution on Codex or Gemini CLI

On the limited platforms, some skills don’t run end to end. This is expected — work around it by naming the skill:

User: "Use the brainstorming skill to plan this feature"

Conflicting plugins

Other workflow plugins can conflict with Superpowers. I check for them:

/plugin list | grep -i workflow

and disable clashes:

/plugin disable <conflicting-plugin-name>

FAQ

What is Superpowers?

A plugin that makes AI coding assistants follow a disciplined development workflow automatically: brainstorming, planning, TDD, systematic debugging, and code review. See the GitHub repository for details.

Does Superpowers work with Codex?

Yes, with limitations. Codex runs skills via executing-plans instead of subagent-driven-development, so some steps may need explicit calls (e.g., “Use the brainstorming skill to plan this feature”). To install, point Codex at the official INSTALL.md instructions above.

Does Superpowers work with Cursor?

Yes — Cursor has full skill support that matches Claude Code, including subagents and parallel analysis. Install via /add-plugin superpowers or the plugin marketplace.

Do I need to invoke Superpowers skills manually?

No — on Claude Code and Cursor, skills activate automatically based on context (“plan this”, “debug this”, “implement this”). Manual invocation is only needed on limited platforms like Codex or Gemini CLI.

How do I know Superpowers is installed correctly?

Start a new session and say “Help me plan this feature”. If the assistant announces it’s using the brainstorming skill and asks clarifying questions, the plugin is active. You can also confirm with /plugin list.

Summary

Superpowers turns an agreeable implementation machine into a disciplined development partner. Install it on your platform (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or Gemini CLI), verify with a skill-triggering phrase in a fresh session, then just describe your task — the plugin automatically runs brainstorming → plan → TDD → implementation → review. Keep it updated with /plugin update superpowers when new skills ship.

Final Words + More Resources

My intention with this article was to help others share my knowledge and experience. If you want to contact me, you can contact by email: Email me

Here are also the most important links from this article along with some further resources that will help you in this scope:

Oh, and if you found these resources useful, don’t forget to support me by starring the repo on GitHub!