Execute plan by dispatching fresh subagent per task, with two-stage review after each: spec compliance review first, then code quality review.
Why subagents: You delegate tasks to specialized agents with isolated context. By precisely crafting their instructions and context, you ensure they stay focused and succeed at their task. They should never inherit your session's context or history — you construct exactly what they need. This also preserves your own context for coordination work.
Core principle: Fresh subagent per task + two-stage review (spec then quality) = high quality, fast iteration
When to Use
Use when:
- You have an implementation plan
- Tasks are mostly independent
- You want to stay in the same session
vs. Executing Plans:
- Same session (no context switch)
- Fresh subagent per task (no context pollution)
- Two-stage review after each task: spec compliance first, then code quality
- Faster iteration (no human-in-loop between tasks)
The Process
- Read plan, extract all tasks with full text, note context, create TodoWrite
- For each task: dispatch implementer subagent → handle status → spec review → code quality review → mark complete
- After all tasks: dispatch final code reviewer → use finishing-a-development-branch
Handling Implementer Status
DONE: Proceed to spec compliance review.
DONE_WITH_CONCERNS: Read concerns before proceeding. Address correctness/scope concerns before review; note observations and proceed.
NEEDS_CONTEXT: Provide missing context and re-dispatch.
BLOCKED: Assess the blocker — provide more context, upgrade model, break task smaller, or escalate to human.
Prompt Templates
./implementer-prompt.md- Dispatch implementer subagent./spec-reviewer-prompt.md- Dispatch spec compliance reviewer subagent./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md- Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent
Red Flags
Never:
- Start implementation on main/master branch without explicit user consent
- Skip reviews (spec compliance OR code quality)
- Proceed with unfixed issues
- Dispatch multiple implementation subagents in parallel (conflicts)
- Make subagent read plan file (provide full text instead)
- Accept "close enough" on spec compliance
- Start code quality review before spec compliance is ✅
Integration
Required workflow skills:
- superpowers:using-git-worktrees - REQUIRED: Set up isolated workspace before starting
- superpowers:writing-plans - Creates the plan this skill executes
- superpowers:finishing-a-development-branch - Complete development after all tasks
Mirrored from https://github.com/obra/superpowers — original author: obra, license: MIT. This is an unclaimed mirror. Content and ownership transfer to the author when they claim this account.