Platform Comparison and Selection

What You'll Learn

By the end of this chapter, you will:

Understand the core differences and feature comparison of three platforms
Choose the most suitable platform based on your use cases
Understand skill discovery and loading mechanisms for each platform
Master tool mapping and hook system principles

Your Current Struggles

Claude Code, OpenCode, and Codex can all run Superpowers, but there are significant differences:

Different installation methods: Some use plugin marketplaces, others require manual configuration
Different skill discovery mechanisms: Some auto-inject, others require manual loading
Different tool mappings: The same skill needs different tool adapters on different platforms
Different use cases: Some are suitable for individual development, others for team collaboration

Don't know which platform to choose, and worried about wasting time with the wrong choice?

When to Use This Approach

First-time Superpowers installation: Unsure which platform to choose
Platform migration: Need to understand differences and migration costs of the new platform
Team platform selection: Need to evaluate which platform best fits team collaboration

Core Concept

Superpowers integrates differently across the three platforms, but the core value remains consistent:

Dimension	Claude Code	OpenCode	Codex
Installation	Plugin marketplace (simplest)	JavaScript plugin	CLI tool + Bootstrap
Skill injection	Hook auto-inject	System prompt transform	Bootstrap manual load
Skill discovery	Automatic	Native skill tool	CLI command
Tool mapping	Native support	Needs mapping rules	Needs mapping rules
Skill priority	Single	Three-level priority	Namespace isolation
Best for	Individual developers	Multi-platform users	CLI-savvy developers

Decision Tree:

mermaid

graph TD
    A[Choose Platform] --> B{Need simplest installation?}
    B -->|Yes| C[Claude Code]
    B -->|No| D{Need cross-platform compatibility?}
    D -->|Yes| E[OpenCode]
    D -->|No| F{Familiar with command line?}
    F -->|Yes| G[Codex]
    F -->|No| C

Detailed Comparison: Feature Differences

Installation Method Comparison

Platform	Installation Complexity	Update Method	Best For
Claude Code	⭐ Simplest	`/plugin update superpowers`	Users seeking convenience
OpenCode	⭐⭐ Moderate	Git pull and relink	Multi-platform users
Codex	⭐⭐⭐ Complex	`git pull` + permission fixes	CLI-savvy developers

Claude Code (Simplest):

bash

# Install with one command
/plugin install superpowers@superpowers-marketplace

# Update with one command
/plugin update superpowers

OpenCode (Moderate):

bash

# Let AI help you install
Fetch and follow instructions from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obra/superpowers/refs/heads/main/.opencode/INSTALL.md

# Update requires re-cloning
cd ~/.config/opencode/skills/superpowers
git pull

Codex (Complex):

bash

# Quick installation (recommended)
Fetch and follow instructions from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obra/superpowers/refs/heads/main/.codex/INSTALL.md

# Manual installation
git clone https://github.com/obra/superpowers.git ~/.codex/superpowers
chmod +x ~/.codex/superpowers/.codex/superpowers-codex

Skill Discovery and Loading Mechanisms

Platform	Skill Discovery	Skill Loading	Trigger Condition
Claude Code	Hook auto-inject	Hook auto-inject	Session start
OpenCode	Native skill tool	Skill tool manual load	When skill needed
Codex	CLI command search	CLI command load	Bootstrap or manual call

Claude Code - Auto-Injection:

bash

# SessionStart Hook auto-injects on session start
# No manual operation needed, skills immediately available
/superpowers:brainstorm  # Use directly

OpenCode - Manual Loading:

bash

# Use native skill tool to list all skills
use skill tool to list skills

# Use native skill tool to load specific skill
use skill tool to load superpowers/brainstorming

Codex - Bootstrap or Manual Loading:

bash

# Method 1: Bootstrap auto-loads all skills
~/.codex/superpowers/.codex/superpowers-codex bootstrap

# Method 2: Manually load specific skill
~/.codex/superpowers/.codex/superpowers-codex use-skill superpowers:brainstorming

Skill Priority and Override Mechanisms

Platform	Priority Levels	Override Rules	Namespace
Claude Code	Single	None	None
OpenCode	Three-level priority	Project > Personal > Superpowers	None (directory isolation)
Codex	Namespace isolation	Personal skills override Superpowers	`superpowers:` prefix

Claude Code - Single Skill Library:

Skills come from plugin directory, no override mechanism
All skills treated equally

OpenCode - Three-Level Priority:

mermaid

graph LR
    A[Project skills<br/>.opencode/skills/] -->|Highest priority| B[AI uses]
    C[Personal skills<br/>~/.config/opencode/skills/] -->|Medium priority| B
    D[Superpowers skills<br/>~/.config/opencode/skills/superpowers/] -->|Lowest priority| B

Skill Override Example

If the project directory has .opencode/skills/brainstorming/, it will completely override Superpowers' brainstorming skill.

Codex - Namespace Isolation:

bash

# Superpowers skills (with prefix)
superpowers:brainstorming
superpowers:test-driven-development

# Personal skills (no prefix)
my-custom-skill
brainstorming  # Will override superpowers:brainstorming

Force Load Official Skills

Even if you have a personal skill with the same name, using the superpowers: prefix forces loading the official skill:

bash

use-skill superpowers:brainstorming  # Force load official skill

Tool Mapping Comparison

Claude Code Tool	OpenCode Equivalent	Codex Equivalent	Description
`Skill` tool	`skill` tool	`superpowers-codex use-skill`	Skill loading
`TodoWrite`	`update_plan`	`update_plan`	Task tracking
`Task` (subagent)	`@mention`	`spawn_agent` + `wait`	Subagent call
`Read` / `Write` / `Edit`	Native tools	Native tools	File operations

Claude Code - Native Support:

Skills directly use Claude Code's native tools
No mapping needed, works out of the box

OpenCode - Auto Mapping:

markdown

**Tool Mapping for OpenCode:**
When skills reference tools you don't have, substitute OpenCode equivalents:
- `TodoWrite` → `update_plan`
- `Task` tool with subagents → Use OpenCode's subagent system (@mention)
- `Skill` tool → OpenCode's native `skill` tool
- `Read`, `Write`, `Edit`, `Bash` → Your native tools

Codex - Bootstrap Mapping:

markdown

**Tool Mapping for Codex:**
When skills reference tools you don't have, substitute your equivalent tools:
- `TodoWrite` → `update_plan` (your planning/task tracking tool)
- `Task` tool with subagents → `spawn_agent` + `wait` (if collab available, parallel; otherwise sequential)

Hook System Comparison

Platform	Hook Types	Purpose	Implementation
Claude Code	SessionStart	Inject skill content on session start	`hooks/session-start.sh`
OpenCode	system.transform	Modify system prompt before each request	`superpowers.js` plugin
Codex	None	Manually run Bootstrap	CLI command

Claude Code - SessionStart Hook:

json

// hooks/hooks.json
{
  "hooks": {
    "SessionStart": "bash hooks/session-start.sh"
  }
}

On each session start, the session-start.sh script automatically injects the using-superpowers skill content.

OpenCode - System Transform Hook:

javascript

// .opencode/plugins/superpowers.js
export const SuperpowersPlugin = async ({ client, directory }) => {
  return {
    'experimental.chat.system.transform': async (_input, output) => {
      const bootstrap = getBootstrapContent();
      if (bootstrap) {
        (output.system ||= []).push(bootstrap);
      }
    }
  };
};

On each request, the system prompt is automatically modified to inject Superpowers context.

Codex - Manual Bootstrap:

bash

# Need to manually run Bootstrap command
~/.codex/superpowers/.codex/superpowers-codex bootstrap

Codex No Auto Hook

Codex doesn't support automatic hooks, requiring manual Bootstrap command execution on each session start.

Use Cases and Selection Recommendations

Claude Code: Best for Individual Developers

Advantages:

✅ Simplest installation, done with one command
✅ Auto-injection, no manual skill loading needed
✅ Slash commands intuitive and easy to use
✅ Official support, fast bug fixes

Disadvantages:

❌ Only supports Claude Code platform
❌ Limited skill override mechanism

Best For:

Individual developers
First-time AI coding agent users
Seekers of out-of-the-box experience
Users who don't want to fuss with configuration

OpenCode: Best for Multi-Platform Users

Advantages:

✅ Supports multiple platforms (Claude, OpenAI, etc.)
✅ Three-level skill priority, flexible override
✅ Auto tool mapping
✅ Native skill tool integration

Disadvantages:

❌ Slightly complex installation, requires manual symbolic link configuration
❌ Requires manual skill loading

Best For:

Multi-platform users
Users needing custom skill overrides
Team collaboration scenarios
Users needing project-level skill isolation

Codex: Best for Advanced Users

Advantages:

✅ CLI tool, scriptable
✅ Clear namespace isolation
✅ Shares core modules with OpenCode
✅ Flexible override mechanism

Disadvantages:

❌ Most complex installation, requires CLI operations
❌ No auto hooks, need manual Bootstrap execution
❌ Experimental features, potentially unstable

Best For:

Advanced users familiar with command line
Users needing scripted operations
Users wanting deep customization and debugging
Users willing to accept experimental features

Quick Selection Table

Your Needs	Recommended Platform
Simplest installation and use	Claude Code
Multi-platform support	OpenCode
Need project-level skill overrides	OpenCode
Command line enthusiast	Codex
Team collaboration	OpenCode
Individual rapid development	Claude Code
Deep customization and debugging	Codex

Platform Migration Guide

Migrating from Claude Code to OpenCode

Migration Steps:

Install OpenCode Plugin

bash

Fetch and follow instructions from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obra/superpowers/refs/heads/main/.opencode/INSTALL.md

Learn Tool Mapping
- Slash commands → Native skill tool
- Get familiar with OpenCode's @mention system
Adjust Workflow
- Manually load skills after session start (if needed)
- Use use skill tool to load superpowers/brainstorming

Migrating from Claude Code to Codex

Migration Steps:

Install CLI Tool

bash

Fetch and follow instructions from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obra/superpowers/refs/heads/main/.codex/INSTALL.md

Run Bootstrap

bash

~/.codex/superpowers/.codex/superpowers-codex bootstrap

Learn Command Line Operations
- Slash commands → CLI commands
- /superpowers:brainstorm → ~/.codex/superpowers/.codex/superpowers-codex use-skill superpowers:brainstorming

Migrating from OpenCode to Claude Code

Migration Steps:

Install Claude Code Plugin

bash

/plugin marketplace add obra/superpowers-marketplace
/plugin install superpowers@superpowers-marketplace

Verify Skill Loading

bash

/help
# Should see commands like /superpowers:brainstorm

Enjoy Automation
- No manual skill loading needed
- Slash commands immediately available

Chapter Summary

Each of the three platforms has its advantages, and the choice depends on your needs:

Claude Code: Simplest, out-of-the-box, best for individual developers
OpenCode: Multi-platform support, flexible overrides, best for team collaboration
Codex: CLI tool, highly customizable, best for advanced users

Regardless of which platform you choose, Superpowers' core value and skill content remain consistent. The key is to understand the differences between platforms and choose the one that best fits your workflow.

Next Lesson Preview

In the next lesson, we'll learn Design Workflow: Brainstorming.
You'll learn:
How to do creative design before coding
Use the brainstorming skill for requirement clarification
Save and manage design documents

Appendix: Source Code Reference

Click to expand source code locations

Last updated: 2026-02-01

Feature	File Path	Lines
Claude Code plugin config	`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`	Full file
Claude Code SessionStart Hook	`hooks/session-start.sh`	Full file
OpenCode plugin	`.opencode/plugins/superpowers.js`	Full file
Codex CLI tool	`.codex/superpowers-codex`	Full file
Shared core module	`lib/skills-core.js`	Full file

Key Configurations:

Claude Code Hook config: hooks/hooks.json - Defines SessionStart Hook
OpenCode System Transform: .opencode/plugins/superpowers.js - Injects system prompt
Codex Bootstrap mechanism: .codex/superpowers-codex - bootstrap command implementation

Platform Documentation:

Key Paths:

Platform	Skills Directory	Config Directory
Claude Code	`~/.config/claude-code/skills/superpowers/`	`~/.config/claude-code/`
OpenCode	`~/.config/opencode/skills/superpowers/`	`~/.config/opencode/`
Codex	`~/.codex/superpowers/skills/`	`~/.codex/`

Platform Comparison and Selection ​

What You'll Learn ​

Your Current Struggles ​

When to Use This Approach ​

Core Concept ​

Detailed Comparison: Feature Differences ​

Installation Method Comparison ​

Skill Discovery and Loading Mechanisms ​

Skill Priority and Override Mechanisms ​

Tool Mapping Comparison ​

Hook System Comparison ​

Use Cases and Selection Recommendations ​

Claude Code: Best for Individual Developers ​

OpenCode: Best for Multi-Platform Users ​

Codex: Best for Advanced Users ​

Quick Selection Table ​

Platform Migration Guide ​

Migrating from Claude Code to OpenCode ​

Migrating from Claude Code to Codex ​

Migrating from OpenCode to Claude Code ​

Chapter Summary ​

Next Lesson Preview ​

Appendix: Source Code Reference ​

Platform Comparison and Selection

What You'll Learn

Your Current Struggles

When to Use This Approach

Core Concept

Detailed Comparison: Feature Differences

Installation Method Comparison

Skill Discovery and Loading Mechanisms

Skill Priority and Override Mechanisms

Tool Mapping Comparison

Hook System Comparison

Use Cases and Selection Recommendations

Claude Code: Best for Individual Developers

OpenCode: Best for Multi-Platform Users

Codex: Best for Advanced Users

Quick Selection Table

Platform Migration Guide

Migrating from Claude Code to OpenCode

Migrating from Claude Code to Codex

Migrating from OpenCode to Claude Code

Chapter Summary

Next Lesson Preview

Appendix: Source Code Reference