Compound

Overview

Captures problem solutions while context is fresh, creating structured documentation in docs/solutions/ with YAML frontmatter for searchability. Uses parallel subagents to gather context, extract the solution, find related docs, develop prevention strategies, and classify the category — then the orchestrator assembles and writes a single final file.

<critical_requirement> Only ONE file gets written — the final documentation.

Phase 1 subagents return TEXT DATA to the orchestrator. They must NOT write files. Only the orchestrator (Phase 2) writes the final documentation file. </critical_requirement>

When to Use

Trigger phrases: "that worked", "it's fixed", "working now", "problem solved", "tests are passing"

Use when:

• Problem is solved and solution is verified working
• Solution is non-trivial (not a simple typo or obvious error)
• Context is fresh — investigation steps are in recent conversation history

Don't use when:

• Fix is still in progress or unverified
• Problem was trivial

Quick Reference

/superpowers:compound                    # Document the most recent fix
/superpowers:compound [brief context]    # Provide additional context hint
/compound --compact          # Single-pass mode for context-constrained sessions

Output location: docs/solutions/[category]/[filename].md

Categories auto-detected from problem type: build-errors · test-failures · runtime-errors · performance-issues · database-issues · security-issues · ui-bugs · integration-issues · logic-errors

Implementation

Always run full mode by default. Use compact-safe mode only when explicitly requested.

Phase 0.5: Auto Memory Scan

Before Phase 1, read MEMORY.md from the auto memory directory. If relevant entries exist for the problem being documented, pass them as a labeled supplementary excerpt to the Context Analyzer and Solution Extractor prompts. Tag any memory-sourced content incorporated into the final doc with "(auto memory [claude])".

Phase 1: Parallel Research

Launch these five subagents IN PARALLEL — each returns text data only, no files:

Phase 2: Assembly & Write

WAIT for all Phase 1 subagents to complete, then:

1. Collect all text results from Phase 1 subagents
2. Assemble complete markdown file
3. Validate YAML frontmatter
4. mkdir -p docs/solutions/[category]/
5. Write the single final file: docs/solutions/[category]/[filename].md

Phase 2.5: Selective Refresh

After writing, check whether older docs should be refreshed. superpowers:compound-refresh is not a default follow-up — invoke it selectively:

Never invoke superpowers:compound-refresh without a scope argument.

Phase 3: Optional Enhancement

After Phase 2, optionally invoke specialized agents based on problem type:

Compact-Safe Mode

When context is tight: skip Phase 1 subagents entirely. In one sequential pass, extract problem/root cause/solution from conversation history (plus any relevant MEMORY.md notes), classify the category, and write a minimal doc with YAML frontmatter, 1-2 sentence problem description, root cause, key code snippets, and one prevention tip. Skip Phase 3 reviews.

Common Mistakes