using-rubypowers

IF A SKILL APPLIES TO YOUR TASK, YOU DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE. YOU MUST USE IT.

This is not negotiable. This is not optional. You cannot rationalize your way out of this.

Instruction Priority

RubyPowers skills override default system prompt behavior, but user instructions always take precedence:

1. User's explicit instructions (CLAUDE.md, GEMINI.md, AGENTS.md, direct requests) — highest priority
2. RubyPowers skills — override default system behavior where they conflict
3. Default system prompt — lowest priority

If CLAUDE.md, GEMINI.md, or AGENTS.md says "don't use TDD" and a skill says "always use TDD," follow the user's instructions. The user is in control.

How to Access Skills

In Claude Code: Use the Skill tool. When you invoke a skill, its content is loaded and presented to you—follow it directly. Never use the Read tool on skill files.

In Copilot CLI: Use the skill tool. Skills are auto-discovered from installed plugins. The skill tool works the same as Claude Code's Skill tool.

In Gemini CLI: Skills activate via the activate_skill tool. Gemini loads skill metadata at session start and activates the full content on demand.

In other environments: Check your platform's documentation for how skills are loaded.

Platform Adaptation

Skills use Claude Code tool names. Non-CC platforms: see references/copilot-tools.md (Copilot CLI), references/codex-tools.md (Codex) for tool equivalents. Gemini CLI users get the tool mapping loaded automatically via GEMINI.md.

Using Skills

The Rule

Invoke relevant or requested skills BEFORE any response or action. Even a 1% chance a skill might apply means that you should invoke the skill to check. If an invoked skill turns out to be wrong for the situation, you don't need to use it.

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];
    "Has checklist?" [shape=diamond];
    "Create TodoWrite todo per item" [shape=box];
    "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"];
    "Invoke Skill tool" -> "Announce: 'Using [skill] to [purpose]'";
    "Announce: 'Using [skill] to [purpose]'" -> "Has checklist?";
    "Has checklist?" -> "Create TodoWrite todo per item" [label="yes"];
    "Has checklist?" -> "Follow skill exactly" [label="no"];
    "Create TodoWrite todo per item" -> "Follow skill exactly";
}

Red Flags

These thoughts mean STOP—you're rationalizing:

Thought	Reality
"This is just a simple question"	Questions are tasks. Check for skills.
"I need more context first"	Skill check comes BEFORE clarifying questions.
"Let me explore the codebase first"	Skills tell you HOW to explore. Check first.
"I can check git/files quickly"	Files lack conversation context. Check for skills.
"Let me gather information first"	Skills tell you HOW to gather information.
"This doesn't need a formal skill"	If a skill exists, use it.
"I remember this skill"	Skills evolve. Read current version.
"This doesn't count as a task"	Action = task. Check for skills.
"The skill is overkill"	Simple things become complex. Use it.
"I'll just do this one thing first"	Check BEFORE doing anything.
"This feels productive"	Undisciplined action wastes time. Skills prevent this.
"I know what that means"	Knowing the concept ≠ using the skill. Invoke it.

Skill Priority

When multiple skills could apply, use this order:

1. Process skills first (brainstorming, debugging) - these determine HOW to approach the task
2. Implementation skills second (frontend-design, mcp-builder) - these guide execution

"Let's build X" → brainstorming first, then implementation skills. "Fix this bug" → debugging first, then domain-specific skills.

Skill Types

Rigid (TDD, debugging): Follow exactly. Don't adapt away discipline.

Flexible (patterns): Adapt principles to context.

The skill itself tells you which.

User Instructions

Instructions say WHAT, not HOW. "Add X" or "Fix Y" doesn't mean skip workflows.

Skills Catalog

All available skills — invoke with the Skill tool using the name value.

Process & Workflow

Name	When to Use
rubypowers:brainstorming	When starting any creative work — new features, components, or behavior changes (REQUIRED)
rubypowers:test-driven-development	When implementing any feature or bugfix — before writing implementation code (REQUIRED)
rubypowers:systematic-debugging	When diagnosing a bug or unexpected behavior
rubypowers:writing-plans	When planning a multi-step implementation
rubypowers:executing-plans	When executing an existing plan
rubypowers:dispatching-parallel-agents	When parallelizing independent work across subagents
rubypowers:subagent-driven-development	When using subagents to implement and review code
rubypowers:verification-before-completion	When finishing a task — before marking it done
rubypowers:finishing-a-development-branch	When wrapping up a feature branch for PR
rubypowers:using-git-worktrees	When needing isolated git worktrees for parallel work
rubypowers:compound	When a non-trivial problem has just been solved — capture the solution

Session Continuity

Name	When to Use
rubypowers:handoff	When capturing session state before switching context, ending a session, or manually preserving progress
rubypowers:handoff-resume	When starting a new session and wanting to continue from a previous handoff
rubypowers:handoff-list	When viewing available handoff documents

Ruby & Rails

Name	When to Use
rubypowers:ruby	When writing, reviewing, or debugging pure Ruby — idiomatic patterns, Ruby 3.x+ features (pattern matching, Data.define, endless methods), memoization, result objects
rubypowers:rails-guides	When working on any Rails-specific topic: ActiveRecord, routing, controllers, views, mailers, jobs, Action Cable, Action Text, Active Storage, migrations, validations, associations, caching, security
rubypowers:37signals-style	When writing Rails code in 37signals/Basecamp style — controllers, models, views, Hotwire, testing, database, philosophy
rubypowers:ruby-commit-message	When committing changes in Ruby or Rails projects — Conventional Commits format with developer-friendly body
rubypowers:sandi-metz-rules	When reviewing or refactoring Ruby code for quality — classes <100 lines, methods <5 lines, ≤4 params, one object per controller action

Hotwire & Stimulus

Name	When to Use
rubypowers:hwc-stimulus-fundamentals	When working on Stimulus controller lifecycle, values, targets, outlets, action parameters, keyboard events — framework-level APIs
rubypowers:hwc-navigation-content	When implementing Turbo Drive/Frames navigation: pagination, tabbed nav, lazy loading, faceted filtering, cache lifecycle, scroll restoration
rubypowers:hwc-forms-validation	When building Hotwire form workflows: submission lifecycle, inline editing, validation errors, typeahead, modal forms
rubypowers:hwc-ux-feedback	When adding cross-cutting UX feedback: loading states, busy indicators, progress bars, optimistic UI, page transitions
rubypowers:hwc-realtime-streaming	When implementing push-based Hotwire: Turbo Streams over WebSocket/SSE, custom stream actions, live list updates, cross-tab sync
rubypowers:hwc-media-content	When building media-heavy features: image/video/audio uploads, previews, playback controls, progress tracking, third-party media libs

Security

Name	When to Use
rubypowers:brakeman	When running Rails security audits, analyzing code for SQL injection/XSS/command injection, or setting up CI/CD security scanning

Code Review & Quality

Name	When to Use
rubypowers:requesting-code-review	When submitting code for review
rubypowers:receiving-code-review	When processing incoming code review feedback

Meta

Name	When to Use
rubypowers:writing-skills	When authoring a new skill or improving an existing one
rubypowers:compound	When capturing a non-trivial solution for compound knowledge
rubypowers:compound-refresh	When docs/solutions/ learnings may be stale — after refactors, migrations, or dependency upgrades