Subagent Delegation

Subagent Delegation Patterns

• Leverage native parallel subagent dispatch and 200k+ context windows where available.

Activation Conditions

Use symptom -> action triggers: when one matches, apply this skill and verify with the protocol below.

Activate this skill when:

• Creating repetitive code structures or boilerplate
• Performing data transformation tasks
• Analyzing codebase for patterns or information
• Generating documentation from existing code
• Creating simple utility functions
• Breaking down complex features into manageable subtasks

Core Delegation Patterns

See Delegation Patterns for detailed examples of:

• Boilerplate generation (API routes, CRUD operations, component structures)
• Data transformations between formats
• File analysis and pattern extraction
• Documentation generation from code
• Utility function creation

Anti-Patterns

• Delegating or evaluating without a scoped success condition: The output becomes hard to review and easy to overbuild.
• Skipping the evidence step: A workflow that cannot be re-checked quickly is not ready for handoff.
• Bundling unrelated subtasks together: It creates noisy prompts, weaker ownership, and avoidable integration risk.

Verification Protocol

Before claiming "skill applied successfully":

1. Pass/fail: The Subagent Delegation workflow names the agent boundary, delegated scope, and expected return artifact.
2. Pass/fail: Context passed to helpers is minimal, task-local, and free of hidden expected answers.
3. Pass/fail: Results are integrated only after evidence, diffs, or citations are checked by the controller.
4. Pressure-test scenario: Run the workflow on two similar tasks that must not share assumptions or leaked context.
5. Success metric: Zero context leakage; every delegated output is independently reviewable.

Examples & Scripts

• Delegation Pattern Examples — Code examples of common delegation patterns
• Delegation Template — JavaScript template for structuring delegation calls

Self-Verification Phase-Gate Questions

Before you mark delegated work complete, the coordinating agent must ask:

• Did the subagent receive a scoped task, owned files or responsibilities, and a clear definition of done?
• Did I review the returned output for correctness, integration fit, and missing edge cases instead of forwarding it blindly?
• Did I preserve the evidence trail showing what was delegated, what changed, and what still needs local ownership?
• Are any follow-up fixes, risks, or unresolved assumptions now explicit to the next reviewer?

Integration Workflow

For delegating tasks to subagents, follow this 5-step process:

• Step 1: Plan - Analyze problem, design solution, identify routine subtasks
• Step 2: Delegate - Use runSubagent for routine or repetitive work
• Step 3: Review - Check output for correctness, completeness, integration compatibility
• Step 4: Integrate - Incorporate output into codebase, handle conflicts
• Step 5: Validate - Test integrated code, debug issues, ensure quality

Quality Control

Before integrating subagent results, verify:

• Code follows project conventions (style, naming, structure)
• Matches specified interfaces and contracts
• Includes necessary error handling
• Has appropriate comments/documentation
• No security vulnerabilities or obvious performance issues
• Compatible with existing codebase (imports, dependencies)

Combining with Sequential Thinking

For complex tasks, use Sequential Thinking first to plan architecture, then delegate routine parts:

// Use Sequential Thinking to plan
mcp_sequentialthi_sequentialthinking({
  thought: "Breaking down feature...identifying repetitive CRUD for delegation",
  thoughtNumber: 1,
  totalThoughts: 5,
  nextThoughtNeeded: true
})

// Then delegate boilerplate
runSubagent({
  description: "Generate CRUD API",
  prompt: "Create CRUD functions matching data model..."
})

// Main agent implements core logic

Cross-Client Portability

This skill is written to stay usable across GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, and Codex.

• GitHub Copilot: keep the folder in a Copilot-visible skill path or wrap the workflow in project instructions when folder discovery is unavailable.
• Claude Code: keep the folder in a local skills directory or a compatible plugin source.
• Codex: install or sync the folder into $CODEX_HOME/skills/subagent-delegation and restart Codex after major changes.

MCP Availability And Fallback

Preferred MCP Server: None required

• Fallback prompt: "Use the Subagent Delegation Patterns skill without MCP. Rely on the local SKILL.md, bundled references or scripts, and manual verification. Show the exact commands, evidence, and final checks you used before concluding."
• If the current host does not expose a matching server, use the bundled references, scripts, native toolchain, and manual workflow already described in this skill.
• Treat direct local verification, rendered output, logs, tests, or screenshots as the fallback evidence path before completion.

Related Skills

• agent-task-mapping: Use it when the workflow also needs task-to-agent routing decisions.
• custom-agent-usage: Use it when the workflow also needs loading and invoking custom agent definitions safely.
• subagent-driven-development: Use it when the workflow also needs plan-driven implementation with reviewer loops.
• agentic-eval: Use it when the workflow also needs rubric-driven evaluation loops.