Release v4.3.0: Enforce brainstorming workflow, prevent unintended plan mode

Enforce brainstorming workflow with hard gates and process flow

.claude-plugin/marketplace.json

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     {
       "name": "superpowers",
       "description": "Core skills library for Claude Code: TDD, debugging, collaboration patterns, and proven techniques",
-      "version": "4.2.0",
+      "version": "4.3.0",
       "source": "./",
       "author": {
         "name": "Jesse Vincent",

.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "superpowers",
   "description": "Core skills library for Claude Code: TDD, debugging, collaboration patterns, and proven techniques",
-  "version": "4.2.0",
+  "version": "4.3.0",
   "author": {
     "name": "Jesse Vincent",
     "email": "jesse@fsck.com"

RELEASE-NOTES.md

@@ -1,5 +1,31 @@
 # Superpowers Release Notes
 
+## v4.3.0 (2026-02-12)
+
+This fix should dramatically improve superpowers skills compliance and should reduce the chances of Claude entering its native plan mode unintentionally.
+
+### Changed
+
+**Brainstorming skill now enforces its workflow instead of describing it**
+
+Models were skipping the design phase and jumping straight to implementation skills like frontend-design, or collapsing the entire brainstorming process into a single text block. The skill now uses hard gates, a mandatory checklist, and a graphviz process flow to enforce compliance:
+
+- `<HARD-GATE>`: no implementation skills, code, or scaffolding until design is presented and user approves
+- Explicit checklist (6 items) that must be created as tasks and completed in order
+- Graphviz process flow with `writing-plans` as the only valid terminal state
+- Anti-pattern callout for "this is too simple to need a design" — the exact rationalization models use to skip the process
+- Design section sizing based on section complexity, not project complexity
+
+**Using-superpowers workflow graph intercepts EnterPlanMode**
+
+Added an `EnterPlanMode` intercept to the skill flow graph. When the model is about to enter Claude's native plan mode, it checks whether brainstorming has happened and routes through the brainstorming skill instead. Plan mode is never entered.
+
+### Fixed
+
+**SessionStart hook now runs synchronously**
+
+Changed `async: true` to `async: false` in hooks.json. When async, the hook could fail to complete before the model's first turn, meaning using-superpowers instructions weren't in context for the first message.
+
 ## v4.2.0 (2026-02-05)
 
 ### Breaking Changes

hooks/hooks.json

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
           {
             "type": "command",
             "command": "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/session-start.sh",
-            "async": true
+            "async": false
           }
         ]
       }

skills/brainstorming/SKILL.md

@@ -9,7 +9,50 @@ description: "You MUST use this before any creative work - creating features, bu
 
 Help turn ideas into fully formed designs and specs through natural collaborative dialogue.
 
-Start by understanding the current project context, then ask questions one at a time to refine the idea. Once you understand what you're building, present the design in small sections (200-300 words), checking after each section whether it looks right so far.
+Start by understanding the current project context, then ask questions one at a time to refine the idea. Once you understand what you're building, present the design and get user approval.
+
+<HARD-GATE>
+Do NOT invoke any implementation skill, write any code, scaffold any project, or take any implementation action until you have presented a design and the user has approved it. This applies to EVERY project regardless of perceived simplicity.
+</HARD-GATE>
+
+## Anti-Pattern: "This Is Too Simple To Need A Design"
+
+Every project goes through this process. A todo list, a single-function utility, a config change — all of them. "Simple" projects are where unexamined assumptions cause the most wasted work. The design can be short (a few sentences for truly simple projects), but you MUST present it and get approval.
+
+## Checklist
+
+You MUST create a task for each of these items and complete them in order:
+
+1. **Explore project context** — check files, docs, recent commits
+2. **Ask clarifying questions** — one at a time, understand purpose/constraints/success criteria
+3. **Propose 2-3 approaches** — with trade-offs and your recommendation
+4. **Present design** — in sections scaled to their complexity, get user approval after each section
+5. **Write design doc** — save to `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-design.md` and commit
+6. **Transition to implementation** — invoke writing-plans skill to create implementation plan
+
+## Process Flow
+
+```dot
+digraph brainstorming {
+    "Explore project context" [shape=box];
+    "Ask clarifying questions" [shape=box];
+    "Propose 2-3 approaches" [shape=box];
+    "Present design sections" [shape=box];
+    "User approves design?" [shape=diamond];
+    "Write design doc" [shape=box];
+    "Invoke writing-plans skill" [shape=doublecircle];
+
+    "Explore project context" -> "Ask clarifying questions";
+    "Ask clarifying questions" -> "Propose 2-3 approaches";
+    "Propose 2-3 approaches" -> "Present design sections";
+    "Present design sections" -> "User approves design?";
+    "User approves design?" -> "Present design sections" [label="no, revise"];
+    "User approves design?" -> "Write design doc" [label="yes"];
+    "Write design doc" -> "Invoke writing-plans skill";
+}
+```
+
+**The terminal state is invoking writing-plans.** Do NOT invoke frontend-design, mcp-builder, or any other implementation skill. The ONLY skill you invoke after brainstorming is writing-plans.
 
 ## The Process
 
@@ -27,7 +70,7 @@ Start by understanding the current project context, then ask questions one at a
 
 **Presenting the design:**
 - Once you believe you understand what you're building, present the design
-- Break it into sections of 200-300 words
+- Scale each section to its complexity: a few sentences if straightforward, up to 200-300 words if nuanced
 - Ask after each section whether it looks right so far
 - Cover: architecture, components, data flow, error handling, testing
 - Be ready to go back and clarify if something doesn't make sense
@@ -39,10 +82,9 @@ Start by understanding the current project context, then ask questions one at a
 - Use elements-of-style:writing-clearly-and-concisely skill if available
 - Commit the design document to git
 
-**Implementation (if continuing):**
-- Ask: "Ready to set up for implementation?"
-- Use superpowers:using-git-worktrees to create isolated workspace
-- Use superpowers:writing-plans to create detailed implementation plan
+**Implementation:**
+- Invoke the writing-plans skill to create a detailed implementation plan
+- Do NOT invoke any other skill. writing-plans is the next step.
 
 ## Key Principles
 
@@ -50,5 +92,5 @@ Start by understanding the current project context, then ask questions one at a
 - **Multiple choice preferred** - Easier to answer than open-ended when possible
 - **YAGNI ruthlessly** - Remove unnecessary features from all designs
 - **Explore alternatives** - Always propose 2-3 approaches before settling
-- **Incremental validation** - Present design in sections, validate each
+- **Incremental validation** - Present design, get approval before moving on
 - **Be flexible** - Go back and clarify when something doesn't make sense

skills/using-superpowers/SKILL.md

@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ This is not negotiable. This is not optional. You cannot rationalize your way ou
 ```dot
 digraph skill_flow {
     "User message received" [shape=doublecircle];
+    "About to EnterPlanMode?" [shape=doublecircle];
+    "Already brainstormed?" [shape=diamond];
+    "Invoke brainstorming skill" [shape=box];
     "Might any skill apply?" [shape=diamond];
     "Invoke Skill tool" [shape=box];
     "Announce: 'Using [skill] to [purpose]'" [shape=box];
@@ -34,6 +37,11 @@ digraph skill_flow {
     "Follow skill exactly" [shape=box];
     "Respond (including clarifications)" [shape=doublecircle];
 
+    "About to EnterPlanMode?" -> "Already brainstormed?";
+    "Already brainstormed?" -> "Invoke brainstorming skill" [label="no"];
+    "Already brainstormed?" -> "Might any skill apply?" [label="yes"];
+    "Invoke brainstorming skill" -> "Might any skill apply?";
+
     "User message received" -> "Might any skill apply?";
     "Might any skill apply?" -> "Invoke Skill tool" [label="yes, even 1%"];
     "Might any skill apply?" -> "Respond (including clarifications)" [label="definitely not"];

skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Assume they are a skilled developer, but know almost nothing about our toolset o
 
 ## Task Structure
 
-```markdown
+````markdown
 ### Task N: [Component Name]
 
 **Files:**
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Expected: PASS
 git add tests/path/test.py src/path/file.py
 git commit -m "feat: add specific feature"
 ```
-```
+````
 
 ## Remember
 - Exact file paths always

tests/subagent-driven-dev/run-test.sh

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ claude -p "$PROMPT" \
   --plugin-dir "$PLUGIN_DIR" \
   --dangerously-skip-permissions \
   --output-format stream-json \
+  --verbose \
   > "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 || true
 
 # Extract final stats