> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.plannotator.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Superpowers vs GSD for AI Coding Plans

> Compare Superpowers and GSD Core by unit of work, artifact location, lifecycle, task grain, human checkpoints, verification, and session continuity.

Choose Superpowers when you want a defined path from reviewed design to a detailed, code-level implementation plan and execution. Choose GSD Core when the larger problem is carrying project, milestone, phase, execution, verification, and handoff state across many sessions.

**Sources:** [`obra/superpowers` at `d884ae04`](https://github.com/obra/superpowers/tree/d884ae04edebef577e82ff7c4e143debd0bbec99) and [`open-gsd/gsd-core` at `50efae13`](https://github.com/open-gsd/gsd-core/tree/50efae13ce74f02a5b0253ce0c205c5eac2a99e3), reviewed July 18, 2026. Both repositories use MIT licenses.

## The practical difference

| Dimension        | Superpowers                                                             | GSD Core                                                                     |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Primary unit     | Design and implementation plan                                          | Project, milestone, phase, and plan                                          |
| Main location    | `docs/superpowers/specs/` and `docs/superpowers/plans/`                 | `.planning/` with project and phase state                                    |
| Lifecycle        | Brainstorm, review design, plan, execute, review, verify, finish branch | Discuss, plan, execute, verify, ship across phases and milestones            |
| Task grain       | Exact files, interfaces, test setup, commands, expected output, commit  | Phase plans supported by context, research, summaries, verification, and UAT |
| Human checkpoint | Design acceptance before implementation planning                        | Decisions during discussion plus verification and UAT records                |
| Continuity       | The design and plan survive into execution                              | State, roadmap, phase artifacts, summaries, and continuation files survive   |
| Maintenance cost | Keep the design and plan accurate                                       | Keep an entire project-state tree coherent                                   |

## Choose Superpowers when

* one feature or change is ready for design refinement;
* the team wants implementation steps precise enough for a separate agent session;
* test-first execution and verification are part of the desired method; and
* repository plans should name exact code boundaries.

The official [writing-plans skill](https://github.com/obra/superpowers/blob/d884ae04edebef577e82ff7c4e143debd0bbec99/skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md) shows the expected task precision.

## Choose GSD Core when

* work spans multiple phases, milestones, or context windows;
* research, decisions, current state, execution summaries, verification, and UAT all need durable files;
* the next session must be able to resume from a documented frontier; and
* the team will actively remove or update stale state.

The official [planning-artifacts reference](https://github.com/open-gsd/gsd-core/blob/50efae13ce74f02a5b0253ce0c205c5eac2a99e3/docs/reference/planning-artifacts.md) defines that state tree.

## Inspect both same-case outputs

* [Superpowers generated design](https://github.com/plannotator/spec-planning-frameworks/tree/main/examples/superpowers/raw): the design completed, but both implementation-plan attempts stalled.
* [GSD generated `.planning/` tree](https://github.com/plannotator/spec-planning-frameworks/tree/main/examples/gsd/raw/.planning): project setup and phase context completed, but the phase-plan run was interrupted before it produced a plan.

## Can you combine them?

A team could use GSD to organize a milestone and use a detailed repository plan for one phase. That combination is an inference, not an official lifecycle published by either source. If you combine them, name which artifact controls current state and avoid duplicating the same plan in two places.

For a neutral starting point, use the [AI coding plan template](/templates/ai-coding-plan). Read the full [Superpowers](/frameworks/superpowers) and [GSD Core](/frameworks/gsd) profiles before adopting either method.

*Reviewed July 19, 2026. Researched and maintained by the Plannotator documentation team. The compared projects are not affiliated with or endorsed by Plannotator.*