Spec-driven development + Superpowers

This is the through-line that connects all three platforms. The method:

1. Brainstorm — explore what you actually want before writing anything.
2. Spec — write it down: the goal, the scope, what “done” means.
3. Plan — break the spec into ordered, reviewable steps.
4. Execute — build to the plan.
5. Test — verify against the spec, not against vibes.

The rule that keeps it honest:

No spec, no merge. Fix the spec, not the code.

If the build drifts from the spec, you don’t quietly patch the code — you update the spec and re-align. The spec stays the single source of truth.

Superpowers

Superpowers is a toolkit of skills that is this loop — brainstorming → writing-plans → subagent-driven-development, with test-first and verify-before-done baked in. The skills trigger automatically when you start building, so you don’t skip straight to code. It’s the best real example of the Skills concept — and it has its own lesson (what it is, and how to install it in Claude Code).

Why it matters: spec-first is what makes AI output reliable instead of a demo that falls over. It’s the habit you most want your team to copy.

Try it: in Claude Code, open the LaTeX starter and run a Superpowers brainstorm on one of the trainee TODOs before writing a line.

Next: The platforms — install each one.