subagent-delegation

Subagent delegation

Core principle

Match each bounded assignment to the capability and judgment it needs, while keeping architecture, integration, authorization, and final acceptance with the lead. Installed agent definitions are authoritative for pinned settings.

Procedure

1. Apply this playbook when the user invokes it or the user's instructions direct its use for delegation; either covers delegation and reassignment throughout the current task. Without either, a generic request to implement work or use subagents does not apply it. Keep required constraints in agent briefs so they apply without child agents loading this skill. Loading the skill does not authorize implementation.
2. Prefer solo work for small or tightly coupled tasks; use delegation or worktrees when independent work or isolation justifies them. Leave task-graph execution, worktree lifecycle, integration sequencing, and implementation gates to the calling workflow, such as implement-with-subagents.
3. Choose the capability before the runtime role name: specific discovery, predetermined mechanical checking, implementation with self-review and repair ownership, or independent read-only analysis. For analysis, state the mode: review against requirements, or investigation of a concrete unresolved question. Establish concrete evidence before an investigation.
4. Load only the active runtime's reference:
   • Codex: exposed roles, installed TOML pins, model and effort routing, and fresh-context calls.
   • Claude Code: agent definitions, model and effort routing, invocation overrides, and owner/reviewer lifecycle.
   • Other runtimes: inspect their exposed capabilities and installed policy; preserve configured choices rather than translating either provider's model identifiers or effort values. Resolve missing required settings before dispatch.
5. Reassess capability and judgment for every new assignment, including reassignment, independently of the parent task's size or model. Preserve pinned settings and access restrictions. If required capability or settings are unavailable, report and resolve the mismatch before dispatch. Name the assignment category in the brief and justify routing departures. For investigations, name the unresolved question; for reviews, identify the correctness checks; for synthesis, identify the evidence or deliverable demands. If work stalls, diagnose missing inputs, tool failures, or routine test repairs before considering a higher tier.
6. Give each agent a self-contained brief that fills every field of the handoff brief. Tell workers they share the codebase, must preserve others' edits, and must accommodate concurrent changes. Further delegation requires the lead's explicit authority. Keep remote mutations with the root task holding the user's authorization, with one mutation owner.
7. Launch independent assignments in parallel. Queue work behind another agent only for a stated dependency, such as shared files, a contract, or ordering; name that dependency. Separate worktrees alone do not remove dependencies.
8. Choose independent audits proportionally to risk. Use a fresh read-only reviewer without the implementation conversation. Supply original requirements, the plan when available, and exact review scope; require a ship, fix-first, or rethink verdict with evidence. Keep repairs with the original worker and context where possible; the lead may take ownership or explicitly reassign them.
9. Inspect delegated diffs and verification evidence before accepting the work. Repeat checks when evidence is incomplete or affected code changes, without duplicating adequate validation. Return failures to the owner for repair and reassess affected evidence.

Finish gate

Finish when the lead has inspected the assigned result and its evidence, resolved failures or reported the specific blocker, and made the acceptance decision under the calling workflow. For advice-only requests, finish with the assignment choices and their reasons; do not spawn agents or start execution.