Subagent Cursor

Subagent Cursor

Overview

Use local cursor-agent as an external subagent. Prefer this skill when the user explicitly asks to use Cursor or specific Cursor-exposed models, or when a bounded second pass is useful and shell invocation is acceptable.

Keep the distinction explicit:

• verified-now: model/command was actually executed successfully on this machine
• listed-only: model appears in cursor-agent models, but was not re-executed in this skill creation pass

Do not claim account quota, billing tier, or future availability from a one-time local check.

Quick Start

1. Confirm the CLI exists and the account is logged in.
2. Choose a model using the routing table below.
3. Use scripts/run_cursor_subagent.sh for a safe default call.
4. Default to read-only (plan or ask) unless the user clearly wants Cursor to edit or run commands directly.

Useful checks:

which cursor-agent
cursor-agent about
cursor-agent models

Safe default wrapper:

$CODEX_HOME/skills/subagent-cursor/scripts/run_cursor_subagent.sh \
  --model claude-4.6-sonnet-medium \
  --workspace /absolute/workspace/path \
  --mode plan \
  --prompt "Read the docs and summarize the main risks."

Streaming JSON wrapper:

$CODEX_HOME/skills/subagent-cursor/scripts/run_cursor_subagent.sh \
  --model auto \
  --workspace /absolute/workspace/path \
  --mode plan \
  --output-format stream-json \
  --stream-partial-output \
  --prompt "Write 20 short numbered lines and do not use tools."

Codex-friendly clean streaming:

$CODEX_HOME/skills/subagent-cursor/scripts/run_cursor_subagent.sh \
  --model auto \
  --workspace /absolute/workspace/path \
  --mode plan \
  --render assistant-text \
  --prompt "Return concise markdown with a summary and one next step."

Markdown envelope for copy/paste or subagent handoff:

$CODEX_HOME/skills/subagent-cursor/scripts/run_cursor_subagent.sh \
  --model auto \
  --workspace /absolute/workspace/path \
  --mode plan \
  --render md \
  --prompt "Return concise markdown with a summary and one next step."

Attach a Codex skill explicitly:

$CODEX_HOME/skills/subagent-cursor/scripts/run_cursor_subagent.sh \
  --model auto \
  --workspace /absolute/workspace/path \
  --mode plan \
  --skill $CODEX_HOME/skills/web-finder/SKILL.md \
  --prompt "Use the attached skill to choose the right search workflow."

Verified Local Availability

These were verified on this machine during skill creation:

• CLI present: /opt/homebrew/bin/cursor-agent
• Alternate launcher example: /absolute/path/to/cursor
• Logged-in account visible via cursor-agent about
• verified-now models:
  • claude-4.6-sonnet-medium
  • claude-opus-4-7-high
  • claude-opus-4-7-max

Important clarification:

• premium is not a standalone CLI flag
• In Cursor CLI, premium capability is expressed by choosing a premium model, for example claude-opus-4-7-max

Model Routing

Read references/model-routing.md when you need the full matrix.

Short routing rules:

• auto

  • Use for low-friction exploratory prompts when model choice is not important.
  • Treat as convenience-first, not as a reproducible research setting.

• claude-4.6-sonnet-medium

  • Use for fast, strong general reasoning, drafting, lightweight code reading, concise critique, and doc synthesis.
  • Best default when the user explicitly wants Claude but the task is not the hardest one.

• claude-opus-4-7-high

  • Use for deeper specification critique, architecture tradeoffs, research framing, and longer-form reasoning.
  • Good “serious second opinion” default.

• claude-opus-4-7-max

  • Use for the hardest high-value prompts where premium latency/cost is justified.
  • Prefer for dense proposal critique, research synthesis, subtle tradeoff analysis, or very important writing.

• gpt-5.x and gpt-5.x-codex-*

  • Use when the user wants Cursor specifically but the task is code-heavy, implementation-oriented, or repository-sensitive.
  • Keep in mind that if Codex itself is already doing the implementation, Cursor should be used only for an independent pass or bounded sidecar, not duplicate work.

• composer-*

  • Use for generic Cursor-native flows when strict model reproducibility is not important.
  • auto often lands near this family.

• gemini-*, grok-*, kimi-*

  • Treat as optional alternates visible in the account.
  • Use only when the user explicitly wants cross-model comparison or one of these families.

Recommended Invocation Pattern

Prefer a bounded prompt with:

• one concrete task
• one workspace
• one requested output shape
• no hidden expected answer

Good pattern:

Read these docs and return:
1. top 3 risks
2. missing assumptions
3. one recommended next step
Do not edit files.

Avoid:

• open-ended “solve the whole project”
• overlapping implementation with current Codex work
• passing your intended answer and then calling the result “independent”

When reusing Codex skills with Cursor:

• pass the relevant SKILL.md file explicitly through --skill
• treat the skill as attached instructions, not as a native auto-triggered capability
• keep the task bounded so Cursor can actually follow the attached workflow

Safety Defaults

The wrapper script defaults to:

• --print
• --trust
• explicit --workspace
• --mode plan

This keeps Cursor in a read-only planning posture unless you intentionally relax it.

When true streaming is helpful but raw JSON noise is not:

• use --render assistant-text to keep live assistant text while stripping the stream-json envelope
• use --render md to emit a compact Markdown wrapper with the streamed response plus a small run-metadata footer
• keep --render raw only when you explicitly need the original Cursor event stream for debugging or custom tooling

If the user truly wants Cursor to perform edits or commands:

• either omit --mode
• or call cursor-agent directly with the needed arguments

Be explicit when escalating from read-only to write-capable execution.

Resources

scripts/run_cursor_subagent.sh

Use this wrapper for consistent local invocation. It supports:

• --model
• --workspace
• --mode
• --skill repeatably
• --output-format
• --stream-partial-output
• --render
• --prompt

references/model-routing.md

Read this when:

• deciding between auto, Claude, premium, GPT/Codex, Composer, Gemini, Grok, or Kimi
• you need to remember which models are verified-now versus listed-only
• you want a quick task-to-model routing table