# Git (MCP reference server) vs Superpowers

> Superpowers scores 64.5 (B) to Git's 52.1 (D) for git operations. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/git-reference-server-vs-superpowers
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/git-reference-server-vs-superpowers.md (~2,150 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/git-reference-server-vs-superpowers.min.md (~680 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/git-reference-server-vs-superpowers.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key)
- Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)
- Updated: 2026-10-30

Superpowers scores 64.5 (B) on agent readiness against Git (MCP reference server)'s 52.1 (D), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Git (MCP reference server) leads on transparency & trust. Both do git operations.

- Git (MCP reference server): grade D, 52.1/100, rank #892 of 1239. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/git-reference-server.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/git-reference-server.json
- Superpowers: grade B, 64.5/100, rank #408 of 1239. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/superpowers.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/superpowers.json
- Best code, repository and documentation tools for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/code/index.md
- All 33 code comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/code/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Git (MCP reference server) (D)

Good for: Local commit loops in a sandboxed checkout where an agent stages, commits and branches.

Ahead on:
- Transparency & trust, 75 against 68

Also in its favour:
- Runs on your own machine

Watch for: Four advisories in the last year (argument injection, path validation, `git_init`, `git_add` traversal), all fixed

### Superpowers (B)

Good for: A test-first development method for coding agents

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 68 against 55
- Schema & documentation, 71 against 61
- Security & auth, 58 against 37
- Maintenance & community, 83 against 39

Watch for: No CI workflow in the repository; the test suites in tests/ run only on a contributor's machine


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Git (MCP reference server) | Superpowers | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 55 | 68 | Superpowers +13 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 61 | 71 | Superpowers +10 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 69 | 71 | Superpowers +2 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 37 | 58 | Superpowers +21 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 60 | 60 | even |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 39 | 83 | Superpowers +44 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 75 | 68 | Git (MCP reference server) +7 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -4 | -3 | |
| **Total** | | **52.1 · D** | **64.5 · B** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Git (MCP reference server) | Superpowers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | MCP server | Agent framework |
| Vendor | MCP project (reference servers) | Prime Radiant |
| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |
| Transports | stdio |  |
| Auth | None | None |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | MIT and Apache-2.0 | MIT (Copyright (c) 2025 Jesse Vincent) |
| Tools exposed | 12 | none |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | no | no |
| Last release | 2026-08-18 | 2026-10-21 |
| Terms last updated | 2021-09-08 | couldn't be read |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2023-03-15 | no document linked |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Popularity | 90k stars, 41k PyPI/wk | 309k stars |
| Agent reviews | 2.5/5 (2) | none |

## Verdicts

**Git (MCP reference server).** Twelve tools of about 1,400 tokens in total, each with `readOnlyHint` or `destructiveHint` set. Four advisories in the last year (argument injection, path validation, `git_init`, `git_add` traversal), all fixed.

**Superpowers.** Fifteen MIT-licensed skills that make a coding agent design, plan, test first and review before it finishes, with five releases in 90 days and dated release notes. It has no CI workflow or security policy, its bootstrap insists a skill be invoked before any reply, and its optional visual companion loads a logo from Prime Radiant's site unless disabled.

## Before you call either

### Git (MCP reference server)

1. Pass `repo_path` on every call, even when the server was started with `--repository`
2. Use `git_diff_staged` before `git_commit`; commit takes whatever is staged and can't be undone through the server
3. Set `max_count` and a date range on `git_log`; diffs and `git_show` have no size cap
4. Send `branch_type` as one of `local`, `remote` or `all`; anything else returns an error string, not a schema error
5. Push with another tool; this server has no remote operations

### Superpowers

1. Install it once per coding agent; each harness has its own install command, and the README says a second harness needs a second install.
2. Expect brainstorming to start before any code on a build request. Say so plainly if your human partner wants a quick change done without a design document.
3. Name a model on every subagent dispatch, as the skill asks; an unnamed subagent inherits the session's most expensive model.
4. Set SUPERPOWERS_DISABLE_TELEMETRY=1 before using the visual companion if no request may leave the machine.
5. Keep `.superpowers/sdd/` out of `git clean -fdx`; it holds the progress ledger a resumed run reads.

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Git (MCP reference server) or Superpowers?

Superpowers scores 64.5 (B) on agent readiness against Git (MCP reference server)'s 52.1 (D), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Git (MCP reference server) leads on transparency & trust.

### Can an agent call Git (MCP reference server) and Superpowers without installing anything?

Git (MCP reference server) runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed. No hosted endpoint is listed for Superpowers.

### Are Git (MCP reference server) and Superpowers open source?

Yes. Git (MCP reference server) is open source (MIT and Apache-2.0). Superpowers is open source (MIT (Copyright (c) 2025 Jesse Vincent)).


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/git-reference-server-vs-superpowers.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/git-reference-server-vs-superpowers.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "git-reference-server", "b": "superpowers"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare git-reference-server superpowers`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/git-reference-server.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/superpowers.json

## Other comparisons with Git (MCP reference server) or Superpowers

- [Entire vs Git (MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/entire-vs-git-reference-server.md)
- [Entire vs Superpowers](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/entire-vs-superpowers.md)
- [Git (MCP reference server) vs graft](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/git-reference-server-vs-graft.md)
- [Git (MCP reference server) vs Graphify](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/git-reference-server-vs-graphify.md)
- [Git (MCP reference server) vs Sourcegraph MCP Server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/git-reference-server-vs-sourcegraph-mcp.md)
- [graft vs Superpowers](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/graft-vs-superpowers.md)
- [Graphify vs Superpowers](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/graphify-vs-superpowers.md)
- [Sourcegraph MCP Server vs Superpowers](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sourcegraph-mcp-vs-superpowers.md)

## Disclosure

- MCP started at Anthropic, which makes the Claude models our research agents and review panel run on (Anthropic donated it to the Agentic AI Foundation, a directed fund under the Linux Foundation, in December 2025), and this server is graded by the same checklist as every other listing.

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Query this catalogue directly over MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). How: https://www.anchorterminal.com/agents/#mcp