ownerAlive() treated EPERM (permission denied) the same as ESRCH
(process not found), causing the server to self-terminate within 60s
whenever the owner process ran as a different user. This affected WSL
(owner is a Windows process), Tailscale SSH, and any cross-user
scenario.
The fix: `return e.code === 'EPERM'` — if we get permission denied,
the process is alive; we just can't signal it.
Tested on Linux via Tailscale SSH with a root-owned grandparent PID:
- Server survives past the 60s lifecycle check (EPERM = alive)
- Server still shuts down when owner genuinely dies (ESRCH = dead)
Fixes#879
The session directory now contains two peers: content/ (HTML served to
the browser) and state/ (events, server-info, pid, log). Previously
all files shared a single directory, making server state and user
interaction data accessible over the /files/ HTTP route.
Also fixes stale test assertion ("Waiting for Claude" → "Waiting for
the agent").
Reported-By: 吉田仁
Metadata files (.server-info, .events, .server.pid, .server.log,
.server-stopped) were stored in the same directory served over HTTP,
making them accessible via the /files/ route. They now live in a .meta/
subdirectory that is not web-accessible.
Also fixes a stale test assertion ("Waiting for Claude" → "Waiting for
the agent").
Reported-By: 吉田仁
The subagent review loop (dispatching a fresh agent to review plans/specs)
doubled execution time (~25 min overhead) without measurably improving plan
quality. Regression testing across 5 versions (v3.6.0 through v5.0.4) with
5 trials each showed identical plan sizes, task counts, and quality scores
regardless of whether the review loop ran.
Changes:
- writing-plans: Replace subagent Plan Review Loop with inline Self-Review
checklist (spec coverage, placeholder scan, type consistency)
- writing-plans: Add explicit "No Placeholders" section listing plan failures
(TBD, vague descriptions, undefined references, "similar to Task N")
- brainstorming: Replace subagent Spec Review Loop with inline Spec Self-Review
(placeholder scan, internal consistency, scope check, ambiguity check)
- Both skills now use "look at it with fresh eyes" framing
Testing: 5 trials with the new skill show self-review catches 3-5 real bugs
per run (spawn positions, API mismatches, seed bugs, grid indexing) in ~30s
instead of ~25 min. Remaining defects are comparable to the subagent approach.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
- Skip OWNER_PID monitoring on Windows/MSYS2 where the PID namespace is
invisible to Node.js, preventing server self-termination after 60s (#770)
- Document run_in_background: true for Claude Code on Windows (#767)
- Restore user choice between subagent-driven and inline execution after
plan writing; subagent-driven is recommended but no longer mandatory
- Add Windows lifecycle test script verified on Windows 11 VM
- Note #723 (stop-server.sh reliability) as already fixed
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
- Remove chunk-based plan review in favor of single whole-plan review
- Add Calibration sections to both reviewer prompts so only serious
issues block approval
- Reduce max review iterations from 5 to 3
- Streamline reviewer checklists (spec: 7→5, plan: 7→4 categories)
Replace #!/bin/bash with #!/usr/bin/env bash in 13 scripts. The
hardcoded path fails on NixOS, FreeBSD, and macOS with Homebrew bash.
#!/usr/bin/env bash is the portable POSIX-friendly alternative.
Tested on Linux and Windows (Git Bash + CMD). macOS is the primary
beneficiary since Homebrew installs bash to /opt/homebrew/bin/bash.
Based on #700, closes#700.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Windows/Git Bash reaps nohup background processes, causing the brainstorm
server to die silently after launch. Auto-detect Windows via OSTYPE
(msys/cygwin/mingw) and MSYSTEM env vars, switching to foreground mode
automatically. Tested on Windows 11 from CMD, PowerShell, and Git Bash —
all route through Git Bash and hit the same issue.
Based on #740, fixes#737. Also adds CHANGELOG.md documenting the fix and
a known OWNER_PID/WINPID mismatch on the main branch.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Subagents should never inherit the parent session's context or history.
The dispatcher constructs exactly what each subagent needs, keeping
both sides focused: the subagent on its task, the controller on
coordination.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
$PPID inside start-server.sh is the ephemeral shell the harness spawns
to run the script — it dies immediately when the script exits, causing
the server to shut down after ~60s. Now resolves grandparent PID via
`ps -o ppid= -p $PPID` to get the actual harness process (e.g. claude).
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
start-server.sh passes $PPID as BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID to the server.
The server checks every 60s if the owner process is still alive
(kill -0). If it's gone, the server shuts down immediately —
deletes .server-info, writes .server-stopped, exits cleanly.
Works across all harnesses (CC, Codex, Gemini CLI) since it
tracks the shell process that launched the script, which dies
when the harness dies.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Server tracks activity (HTTP requests, WebSocket messages, file
changes) and exits after 30 minutes of inactivity. On exit, deletes
.server-info and writes .server-stopped with reason. Visual companion
guide now instructs agents to check .server-info before each screen
push and restart if needed. Works on all harnesses, not just CC.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Delete 717 files: index.js, package.json, package-lock.json, and
the entire node_modules directory (express, ws, chokidar + deps).
Update start-server.sh to use server.js. Remove gitignore exception.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Complete zero-dep brainstorm server. Uses knownFiles set to
distinguish new screens from updates (macOS fs.watch reports
'rename' for both). All 56 tests pass (31 unit + 25 integration).
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Implements RFC 6455 handshake, frame encoding/decoding for text
frames. All 31 unit tests pass.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
The spec review loop (dispatch spec-document-reviewer subagent, iterate
until approved) existed in the prose "After the Design" section but was
missing from both the checklist and the process flow diagram. Since agents
follow the diagram and checklist more reliably than prose, the spec review
step was being skipped entirely.
Added step 7 (spec review loop) to the checklist and a corresponding
"Spec review loop" → "Spec review passed?" node pair to the dot graph.
Tested with claude --plugin-dir and claude-session-driver: worker now
correctly dispatches the spec-document-reviewer subagent after writing
the design doc and before presenting to the user for review.
Fixes#677.
start-server.sh now runs npm install if node_modules is missing.
Fixes broken server when superpowers is installed as a plugin (node_modules
are in .gitignore and not included in the clone).
The server now writes its startup JSON to $SCREEN_DIR/.server-info.
Agents that launch the server via background execution (where stdout is
hidden) can read this file to get the URL, port, and screen_dir.
The visual companion docs now give concrete launch commands per platform:
Claude Code (default mode), Codex (auto-foreground via CODEX_CI), Gemini CLI
(--foreground with is_background), and a fallback for other environments.
Moves lib/brainstorm-server/ → skills/brainstorming/scripts/ so the
brainstorming skill uses relative paths (scripts/start-server.sh) instead
of ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/lib/brainstorm-server/. This follows the
agentskills.io specification for portable, cross-platform skills.
Updates visual-companion.md references and test paths. All tests pass.
After the spec review loop passes, the skill now asks the user to review
the written spec file before invoking writing-plans. This prevents the
agent from racing ahead to implementation planning without giving the
user a chance to read and adjust the written document.
Fixes#565
Brainstorming now assesses whether a project is too large for a single
spec and helps decompose into sub-projects. Scope check is inline in
the understanding phase (testing showed it was skipped as a separate step).
Spec reviewer also checks scope. Writing-plans has a backstop.
Add design-for-isolation and working-in-existing-codebases guidance to
brainstorming. Add file size awareness and escalation prompts to SDD
implementer and code quality reviewer. Writing-plans gets architecture
section sizing guidance. Spec and plan reviewers get architecture and
file size checks.
Brainstorming skill now offers an optional browser-based visual companion
for questions involving visual decisions (mockups, layouts, diagrams).
The companion is a tool, not a mode — each question is evaluated for
whether browser or terminal is more appropriate.
Includes visual-companion.md progressive disclosure guide with server
workflow, screen authoring patterns, and feedback collection.
Co-Authored-By: Drew Ritter <drew@ritter.dev>
The brainstorming skill described a process but didn't enforce it. Models
would skip the design phase and jump straight to implementation skills
like frontend-design, or collapse the entire brainstorming process into
a single text block.
Changes to brainstorming skill:
- Add HARD-GATE: no implementation until design is approved
- Add explicit checklist that maps to task items
- Add graphviz process flow with writing-plans as terminal state
- Add anti-pattern callout for "too simple to need a design"
- Scale design sections by section complexity, not project complexity
- Make writing-plans the only valid next skill after brainstorming
Changes to using-superpowers skill:
- Add EnterPlanMode intercept to workflow graph
- Route plan mode attempts through brainstorming skill instead
Tested with claude -p --plugin-dir across three variants (no skill,
original skill, updated skill) to verify behavioral compliance.
- Update brainstorming description to use imperative "You MUST use this"
- Clarify trigger: "before any creative work - creating features, building
components, adding functionality, or modifying behavior"
- Add Skill Priority section to using-superpowers to ensure process skills
(brainstorming, debugging) are invoked before implementation skills
Remove heavyweight 6-phase process with formal checklists and return to
conversational approach:
- Natural dialogue instead of structured phases
- One question at a time without rigid progression
- 200-300 word design sections with validation
- Keep documentation and implementation handoff
- Remove AskUserQuestion tool requirements and complex flowcharts
This aligns with the original spec: help turn ideas into designs through
collaborative questioning, then present design in small sections.
Applied Strunk's "Elements of Style" principles:
- Rule 13: Omitted needless words (removed "already", "genuinely", etc.)
- Rule 11: Converted negative to positive form ("don't ask" → "ask only when")
- Rule 10: Used active voice where appropriate
- Rule 15: Improved parallel construction in lists
- General: Made language more direct and concrete
Changes maintain the skill's functionality while improving readability.
The old brainstorming command included writing the design document
before handing off to implementation planning. This was lost when
the command was converted to a skill.
Added Phase 4: Design Documentation to write the validated design
to docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>.md before proceeding to worktree
setup and planning.
Tested with subagent to verify design document is written and
committed even under time pressure.
- Add explicit guidance to use AskUserQuestion in Phase 1 (Understanding)
- Add explicit guidance to use AskUserQuestion in Phase 2 (Exploration)
- Add concrete examples showing how to structure questions with options
- Add "Question Patterns" section explaining when to use AskUserQuestion vs open-ended
- Update Quick Reference table to include Tool Usage column
- Update Key Principles to mention structured choices with AskUserQuestion
Benefits:
- Makes it clear when to use structured vs open-ended questions
- Provides concrete examples for effective use of AskUserQuestion
- Helps present options with clear trade-offs
- 156 lines (well under 500-line Anthropic recommendation)
Update all skill references to use explicit requirement markers:
- REQUIRED BACKGROUND: For prerequisite understanding
- REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: For mandatory workflow dependencies
- Complementary skills: For optional but helpful related skills
Changes:
- Remove old path format (skills/collaboration/X → X)
- Add explicit "REQUIRED" markers to make dependencies clear
- Update Integration sections with categorized skill relationships
- Fix non-existent skill references
- Update cross-reference documentation in writing-skills
This makes it immediately clear which skills MUST be used vs optional references,
helping Claude understand and comply with skill dependencies.
- Fix description: correct grammar and use third-person voice
- Add Quick Reference table for easy scanning
- Add copyable checklist for tracking progress through phases
- Add decision flowchart for when to revisit earlier phases
- Convert "Remember" section to structured Key Principles table
- Remove references to non-existent related skills
Follows Anthropic patterns:
- Workflow with checklist format
- Quick reference table at top
- Appropriate use of flowchart for decision points
- Scannable table format for principles
- 108 lines (well under 500-line recommendation)
- Update all 20 skill frontmatter names to match their directory names in lowercase
- Fix defense-in-depth name (was Defense-in-Depth-Validation)
- Fix receiving-code-review name (was Code-Review-Reception)
- Update all skill announcements and cross-references to use lowercase names
- Update commands redirects to reference lowercase skill names
Ensures consistent naming: skill directory names, frontmatter names, and documentation
references all use lowercase kebab-case format (e.g., brainstorming, test-driven-development)
