Meta Pattern Recognition
Turn a spec or requirements into bite-sized implementation tasks before any code is written.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/obra/superpowers-skills --skill meta-pattern-recognitionWhat is this skill?
- Bite-sized TDD-friendly tasks with explicit file paths and verification commands.
- Requires plan header with goal, architecture, and required sub-skills.
- Scope check to split multi-subsystem specs into separate plans.
Adoption & trust: 73 installs on skills.sh; 692 GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
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Journey fit
Primary fit
Writing plans belongs in idea phase—translating intent into an executable task list before build starts. Research subphase fits because the skill decomposes specs into file-level tasks with exact test commands and commit steps.
Common Questions / FAQ
Is Meta Pattern Recognition safe to install?
skills.sh reports 3 of 3 security scanners passed. Review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing in production.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Meta Pattern Recognition
# Meta-Pattern Recognition ## Overview When the same pattern appears in 3+ domains, it's probably a universal principle worth extracting. **Core principle:** Find patterns in how patterns emerge. ## Quick Reference | Pattern Appears In | Abstract Form | Where Else? | |-------------------|---------------|-------------| | CPU/DB/HTTP/DNS caching | Store frequently-accessed data closer | LLM prompt caching, CDN | | Layering (network/storage/compute) | Separate concerns into abstraction levels | Architecture, organization | | Queuing (message/task/request) | Decouple producer from consumer with buffer | Event systems, async processing | | Pooling (connection/thread/object) | Reuse expensive resources | Memory management, resource governance | ## Process 1. **Spot repetition** - See same shape in 3+ places 2. **Extract abstract form** - Describe independent of any domain 3. **Identify variations** - How does it adapt per domain? 4. **Check applicability** - Where else might this help? ## Example **Pattern spotted:** Rate limiting in API throttling, traffic shaping, circuit breakers, admission control **Abstract form:** Bound resource consumption to prevent exhaustion **Variation points:** What resource, what limit, what happens when exceeded **New application:** LLM token budgets (same pattern - prevent context window exhaustion) ## Red Flags You're Missing Meta-Patterns - "This problem is unique" (probably not) - Multiple teams independently solving "different" problems identically - Reinventing wheels across domains - "Haven't we done something like this?" (yes, find it) ## Remember - 3+ domains = likely universal - Abstract form reveals new applications - Variations show adaptation points - Universal patterns are battle-tested