subagent-driven-development or superpowers: how much structure do you want?
superpowers is a broad working method for a whole session. subagent-driven-development is one of the skills it ships, the one that builds a written plan task by task with a fresh subagent and a review for each. One changes how every task is approached, the other changes how a finished plan gets executed.
The subagent-driven-development skill in superpowers executes a written implementation plan in the current session, one task at a time. A fresh implementer subagent builds each task, a task review checks it for spec compliance and code quality, and a broad review of the whole branch closes the run. It works through the plan without pausing between tasks, and it says never to dispatch multiple implementation subagents in parallel. Its inline alternative is executing-plans, which does every task in one context.
Best for
Executing an implementation plan whose tasks are mostly independent, in a session that can start subagents, when you want every task reviewed before the next one begins.
Skip if
There is no written plan yet, the tasks are tightly coupled, or your setup cannot start subagents, in which case executing-plans runs the same plan inline.
Which one to install
Choose subagent-driven-development when you already have an implementation plan with mostly independent tasks and want it built in one run, each task in a clean context and reviewed before the next begins. It runs the tasks in sequence, never as parallel implementers, and its value is in the per-task review, not in the working style.
Superpowers is a complete development methodology for coding agents, published by Jesse Vincent under MIT, built from composable skills covering brainstorming, planning, test driven development, systematic debugging, verification and subagent work. Install it when you want the agent to follow a process rather than jump straight to code. Install individual pieces when you already have a process.
Best for
Teams that want agent work to follow a repeatable method instead of depending on who wrote the prompt.
Skip if
You want one narrow behaviour, in which case take the single skill and leave the methodology.
Which one to install
Choose superpowers when you want a consistent method applied throughout, from how a plan is written to how a change is checked. It is the heavier commitment and it shows up on tasks you did not think needed a method.
They do not compete, because subagent-driven-development is part of superpowers and installing the whole set already includes it. Expect superpowers to set the working style and subagent-driven-development to take over once a written plan is ready to be built.