git:20260918.d7ddcd9 to git:20260923.e805728

4 added, 6 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: prepare

- description: Use before starting non-trivial work - defines a spec (with review), optionally

- a plan (with review) if asked for one, then judges whether the work should happen inline in

- this session or be handed off to Kraft as a work item.

+ description: "Use before starting non-trivial work that needs a spec, or when unsure whether work belongs inline in this session or in Kraft."

---

# Preparing work

- This is the layer above `handoff`: it defines the work first, then decides where

- it should run. Read `handoff`'s SKILL.md before the handoff step below if you

+ This is the layer above `kraft:handoff`: it defines the work first, then decides where

+ it should run. **REQUIRED SUB-SKILL:** use `kraft:handoff` at the handoff step below if you

haven't already.

## 1. Spec

Run a spec skill - default `superpowers:brainstorming` - unless the user named a

different one. Its own self-review and user-review gate cover "review the spec";

don't add a second review pass on top of it.

## 2. Judge

Right after the spec, before touching a plan:

- **Inline** - the spec came out spike- or bounded-classified. Go straight to

the normal dev workflow (TDD, etc.) in this session. No plan doc needed:

that's already bounded's own terminal state.

- **Handoff** - the spec came out architectural-classified, or the user already

said the work is too big for this session, needs gates, or spans sessions.

- Use `handoff` to file it, attaching the spec. Kraft's own chain plans it -

+ Use `kraft:handoff` to file it, attaching the spec. Kraft's own chain plans it -

don't write a plan doc just to hand it straight to something that writes its

own.

**Explicit user override wins outright.** If the user already said "do this

inline" or "hand this to Kraft," skip judgment and honor that instead - still

write the spec first.

## 3. Plan - only if the user explicitly asked for one

A plan is bound to the code as it is right now; a spec isn't. A spec written

today is still good in two days, a plan might not be - so don't produce one

speculatively.

If asked, run a plan skill - default `superpowers:writing-plans` - with its own

review gate. Re-run the judgment above with the plan in hand (it sharpens the

same inline/handoff call - e.g. a plan that turns out to be one small task can

downgrade an architectural spec to inline), and attach the plan alongside the

spec if handing off.

**Do not put a full-test-suite run in the plan.** A plan headed for Kraft runs

under a chain whose `verify` node already runs the suite (and local review)

after every task, with its own fix loop - a task step that re-runs it is

redundant work the chain repeats anyway. Per-task targeted tests (the test the

task itself is about) stay in the plan; only the suite-wide run is out.

## 4. Auto mode

If the user said `auto` (as an argument, e.g. `/prepare auto ...`) or used

phrasing like "do this in auto" / "don't wait for me": skip the pre-execution

confirmation in step 2 (or 3), act on the judgment immediately, and report the

outcome afterward instead of asking first.

Otherwise: state the judgment and a one-line reason, then stop and wait for the

user to confirm or override it before executing.