brainstorming: a Claude Code skill by Jesse Vincent
For anyone who wants Claude to pin down what they really want before it builds. Skip it if your requests are already precise and you want work to start at once.
High-risk warning At least one scanner rated it high risk, so we keep it out of the top ten. Read its code before you install it.
The skill's text changed on Nov 4, 2026, after we last read it. Our description may be behind.
- Score
- 82of 100
- Rank
- #42of 239
- Installs
- 425Kon skills.sh
- Security
- Warning 5 scanners
- Updated
- 2026
- Context
- ~56tokens always
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/obra/superpowers --skill brainstorming
Run it in your terminal. View the source
Using the Claude app rather than Claude Code? You can add a skill there too. How to add it in the app
What does brainstorming do?
brainstorming is a Claude skill that holds off building until you approve a written design. Clear, small requests get done at once. Otherwise Claude reads the code or files you pointed at, asks one question per message, and plays back each part it understands. It lays out two or three ways to build the thing, recommends one, and lets you pick. Then it writes a short or full design doc, saved in a repo under docs/superpowers/specs/, has a subagent read it as a builder would, and brings you any open questions. It can show mockups in a browser tab, and after approval it hands off to a planning skill.
When should you use brainstorming?
Use it when
- You have a rough idea but no spec
- You want options and tradeoffs before any code
- You are planning a talk, business or other non-code project
Skip it when
- You know exactly what you want built
- You dislike back-and-forth questions
What it needs and what it can touch
What it can do
- Reads project files
- Writes and commits a design doc in the repo
- Starts a local browser companion for mockups when you accept
From reading its instructions, not from running it.
Why it scores 82
Strongest on upkeep (100 of 100), weakest on trust (59).
Is brainstorming safe to install?
At least one scanner rated it high risk, so we keep it out of the top ten. Read its code before you install it. Scanners often miss what other scanners catch, and a skill can change after a scan. Read its source before you install it.
| Scanner | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Gen Agent Trust Hub | Passed | Nov 4, 2026 |
| Socket | Passed | Nov 5, 2026 |
| Snyk | Low risk | Nov 4, 2026 |
| Runlayer | High risk | Mar 13, 2026 |
| ZeroLeaks | Passed | Apr 16, 2026 |
Details
- Installs
- 425,044
- Repository stars
- 315,837
- Last repository change
- Tokens always loaded
- about 56
- Tokens when used
- about 3,336
- License
- MIT
- Data confidence
- High
Did it do the job for you?
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brainstorming
Get brainstorming