superpowers-lite/skills/executing-plans/SKILL.md

name, description

name	description
executing-plans	Manual-only skill. Activate only after an explicit user request for superpowers-lite:executing-plans.

Executing Plans

Overview

Load plan, review critically, group tasks into phases when useful, execute all phases, report when complete.

Announce at start: "I'm using the executing-plans skill to implement this plan."

Note: Tell your human partner that Superpowers Lite works better with access to subagents for larger plans. If subagents are available and the user explicitly wants that workflow, use superpowers-lite:subagent-driven-development instead of this skill.

The Process

Step 1: Confirm Branch, Load, and Review Plan

1. Confirm the current git branch is not main or master with git branch --show-current
2. If on main or master, stop and ask the user to switch or create a feature branch before implementation
3. Read plan file
4. Review critically - identify any questions or concerns about the plan
5. If concerns: Raise them with your human partner before starting
6. If no concerns: Create TodoWrite and proceed

Step 2: Group Tasks Into Phases

Before implementation, decide whether adjacent tasks should run as one phase:

• Group tasks that touch the same files or complete one coherent behavior
• Keep tasks separate when they are independent, risky, or easier to review alone
• Preserve the plan's task checklist, but use phase-level review checkpoints

Step 3: Execute Phases

For each phase:

1. Mark as in_progress
2. Follow each included task step exactly (plan has bite-sized steps)
3. Run verifications specified by the included tasks
4. Request or perform one review for the whole phase
5. Mark all included tasks as completed only after the phase review is addressed

Step 4: Complete Development

After all tasks complete and verified:

• Announce: "I'm using the finishing-a-development-branch skill to complete this work."
• REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers-lite:finishing-a-development-branch
• Follow that skill to verify tests, present options, execute choice

When to Stop and Ask for Help

STOP executing immediately when:

• Hit a blocker (missing dependency, test fails, instruction unclear)
• Plan has critical gaps preventing starting
• You don't understand an instruction
• Verification fails repeatedly

Ask for clarification rather than guessing.

When to Revisit Earlier Steps

Return to Review (Step 1) when:

• Partner updates the plan based on your feedback
• Fundamental approach needs rethinking

Don't force through blockers - stop and ask.

Remember

• Review plan critically first
• Follow plan steps exactly
• Don't skip verifications
• Reference skills when plan says to
• Stop when blocked, don't guess
• Work in the current branch by default; do not create or switch to a worktree unless the user explicitly asks
• Never start implementation on main or master; ask the user to switch or create a feature branch

Integration

Required workflow skills:

• superpowers-lite:writing-plans - Creates the plan this skill executes
• superpowers-lite:finishing-a-development-branch - Complete development after all tasks

Optional workflow skills:

• superpowers-lite:using-git-worktrees - Use only when the user explicitly asks for an isolated workspace