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TL;DR: Keep _Now/_Next. Add TASKS.md per project. Optional: Superpowers for complex work, ralph-loop for overnight runs.

The Verdict

Section titled “The Verdict”

✅ DO

Section titled “✅ DO”
  • Keep _Now.md and _Next.md naming - Works for both human and AI
  • Date-stamp Next files: _Next_YYYY-MM-DD_ShortDesc.md
  • Add source reference at top of each Next file
  • Use TASKS.md per project for detailed task tracking
  • Install Superpowers for complex feature development
  • Install ralph-loop for overnight autonomous execution

❌ DON’T

Section titled “❌ DON’T”
  • Don’t rename to _ToAI/_FromAI - Mailbox metaphor doesn’t match reality
  • Don’t use paired indices (_ToAI2 → _FromAI2) - Forced 1:1 that doesn’t exist
  • Don’t put task details in _Now.md - Keep it lightweight, move details to project TASKS.md

Three-Layer System

Section titled “Three-Layer System”

Layer 1: Cross-Project Dispatcher

Section titled “Layer 1: Cross-Project Dispatcher”

File: _Now.md Purpose: High-level “what am I working on?” Format:

- Monorepo: see TASKS.md (feature: user auth)
- KB: reorganize 04_AI section
- Python utils: fix scaffolder bug

Layer 2: Per-Project Task Spec

Section titled “Layer 2: Per-Project Task Spec”

File: [project-root]/TASKS.md Purpose: Detailed, version-controlled task breakdown Format: See TASKS_md_Template.md for templates Tool Integration: Superpowers, ralph-loop, manual tracking

Layer 3: Session Insights

Section titled “Layer 3: Session Insights”

File: _Next_YYYY-MM-DD_ShortDesc.md Purpose: Capture cross-cutting insights, lessons learned Format:

Source: _Now.md -- "Brief task description"


## What Worked
- Insight 1


## Friction Points
- Issue 1


## Workflow Improvements
- Change 1

When to Use What

Section titled “When to Use What”
ScenarioUseSkip
Quick KB edit (5-10 min)_Now → direct CC → _NextSuperpowers, TASKS.md
Small bug fix (15-30 min)_Now → TASKS.md → /ptrSuperpowers brainstorm
New feature (1-4 hours)_Now → TASKS.md → Superpowers full cycle-
Large refactor (overnight)_Now → TASKS.md → ralph-loop headless-

Command Cheat Sheet

Section titled “Command Cheat Sheet”

Existing Slash Commands

Section titled “Existing Slash Commands”
  • /now - Review tasks in _Now.md
  • /ptr - Proceed to implement autonomously
  • /nowcpw - Review + confirm + plan
  • /cpw - Confirm + plan (without /now)
  • /aic - Ask for clarification

Plugin Commands (After Installation)

Section titled “Plugin Commands (After Installation)”
Terminal window
# Superpowers workflow
/superpowers:brainstorm          # Socratic requirements refinement
/superpowers:write-plan          # Generate granular TASKS.md
/superpowers:execute-plan        # Run with TDD + subagent review


# Plugin management
/plugin list                     # Show installed plugins
/plugin marketplace list         # Show available marketplaces
/skill list                      # Show available skills (after Superpowers install)

Headless Mode (Ralph Loop)

Section titled “Headless Mode (Ralph Loop)”
Terminal window
# From terminal, not in CC session
claude -p "Read TASKS.md and complete all items" \
  --allowedTools "Edit,Read,Bash,Write,Glob,Grep" \
  --max-iterations 50

File Naming Convention

Section titled “File Naming Convention”

✅ Correct Naming

Section titled “✅ Correct Naming”
_Now.md                                    # Active tasks dispatcher
_Next_2026-02-09_SimpleTaskMgmt.md        # Session output (date-stamped)
_Next_2026-02-10_AuthRefactor.md          # Another session
TASKS.md                                   # Per-project task spec

❌ Incorrect Naming

Section titled “❌ Incorrect Naming”
_ToAI.md / _FromAI.md                     # Confusing directional metaphor
_Next2.md                                  # Not date-stamped
_Next_AuthRefactor.md                      # Missing date (sort order unclear)

Installation Quick Start

Section titled “Installation Quick Start”

1. Enable Plugin Commands (Already Done)

Section titled “1. Enable Plugin Commands (Already Done)”

✅ Settings updated with WebFetch/WebSearch/Glob/Grep permissions

2. Install Plugins (Interactive - Run in CC Session)

Section titled “2. Install Plugins (Interactive - Run in CC Session)”
Terminal window
/plugin marketplace add obra/superpowers-marketplace
/plugin install superpowers@superpowers-marketplace
/plugin install ralph-loop@claude-plugins-official

3. Create First TASKS.md

Section titled “3. Create First TASKS.md”
  • Use template from TASKS_md_Template.md
  • Choose template based on project type:
    • Feature Development → Superpowers-compatible
    • Overnight Run → Ralph loop format
    • Simple Checklist → Lightweight

4. Run First Superpowers Cycle

Section titled “4. Run First Superpowers Cycle”
1. Open project, start CC
2. /superpowers:brainstorm
3. Answer questions, review approach
4. /superpowers:write-plan
5. Review generated TASKS.md
6. /superpowers:execute-plan
7. Watch it work through tasks with TDD

Integration with Existing Workflow

Section titled “Integration with Existing Workflow”

Before (Current State)

Section titled “Before (Current State)”
User opens _Now.md with task details
  ↓
User runs CC with /nowcpw or /ptr
  ↓
Claude works through task
  ↓
Claude might claim "done" prematurely
  ↓
User manually verifies

After (Spec-Driven)

Section titled “After (Spec-Driven)”
User opens _Now.md (lightweight dispatcher)
  ↓
User opens project TASKS.md (detailed spec)
  ↓
User runs /superpowers:execute-plan OR headless ralph-loop
  ↓
Claude works with TDD enforcement + verification
  ↓
Atomic commits per task
  ↓
User reviews git log + test results
  ↓
Insights captured in _Next_YYYY-MM-DD.md

Success Metrics (Track After 2-4 Weeks)

Section titled “Success Metrics (Track After 2-4 Weeks)”
What to MeasureHow to Check
Premature “done” reducedCount times you had to ask for re-verification
Plugin usagegrep -r "superpowers|ralph" ~/.claude/history.jsonl
TASKS.md adoptionfind ~/projects -name "TASKS.md" | wc -l
Overnight runsCount successful ralph-loop sessions
SatisfactionSubjective: Are you getting better results faster?

Next Actions

Section titled “Next Actions”
  1. ✅ Read this quick reference
  2. ⏳ Install plugins (see Installation Quick Start above)
  3. ⏳ Create TASKS.md in one project (start with monorepo)
  4. ⏳ Run one Superpowers cycle on a real feature
  5. ⏳ Try one overnight ralph-loop run
  6. ⏳ Review after 1 week, adjust workflow

Key Files Created

Section titled “Key Files Created”
  • _Next_2026-02-09_SimpleTaskMgmt_Implementation.md - Full implementation plan
  • TASKS_md_Template.md - Three templates for different use cases
  • Simple_Task_Management_Quick_Reference.md - This file

Resources

Section titled “Resources”