How do I install the Delegate To CLI skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add phoenixrr2113/delegate-to-cli in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Delegate To CLI safe to use?

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Which AI agents work with Delegate To CLI?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Delegate To CLI free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Delegate To CLI?

Phoenixrr2113 (@phoenixrr2113) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Delegate To CLI by phoenixrr2113 — Agent Skill

Name: Delegate To CLI
Author: Phoenixrr2113

Delegate To CLI

Delegates bounded subtasks (text-in/text-out, large-token, no harness MCPs needed) to a local CLI agent (claude/codex/gemini) via scripts/delegate.sh. Use when the task is large enough to warrant a subprocess but doesn't need the harness's own primitives. Returns the subagent's final text plus structured error info.

Phoenixrr2113 c8e28dc 10 files · 35.7 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

delegate-to-cli

When to use

Reach for this skill when all four are true:

Bounded — clear start, clear end, output is text or a verifiable file change
Text-in/text-out — no need for tool-call structure back to the parent
Large in tokens — would burn the parent's context if done inline
Doesn't need this harness's own primitives or MCP servers

Available scripts

scripts/delegate.sh <cli> <mode> <prompt> — Run a bounded subtask via a local CLI agent and return its result. CLI: claude | codex | gemini. Mode: read | edit.
scripts/verify-cli.sh <cli> — Check the CLI binary is on PATH and meets the minimum version. Run once if delegate fails with CLI_NOT_FOUND or CLI_VERSION_TOO_OLD.

Workflow

Verify the CLI is available (first use): scripts/verify-cli.sh claude
Delegate: scripts/delegate.sh claude read "Summarize the README"
Read the JSON result. On status: ok, the subagent's output is in result.output.
On status: error, follow next_steps. Common cases listed in references/failure-modes.md.

Gotchas

Permission mode is the #1 source of silent hangs. scripts/delegate.sh requires <mode> to be read (analysis-only) or edit (file modification). The script maps these to the correct CLI permission flags. If you bypass the script and call the CLI directly without the right flag for an edit task, the subprocess hangs forever — see references/permission-flags.md.
CLI invocation may fall outside the CLI's subscription TOS. The user opted in during harness init if delegation is enabled.
Do not fall back silently on CLI_NOT_FOUND. Tell the user what is missing so they can install it.

Failure modes

If scripts/delegate.sh returns status: error, read error.code:

CLI_NOT_FOUND — binary missing; tell the user to install it.
CLI_VERSION_TOO_OLD — see references/failure-modes.md for minimum versions and upgrade paths.
INVALID_INPUT — bad <cli> or <mode> argument; re-invoke with correct values.
PERMISSION_FLAG_MISSING — subprocess hung; re-invoke with edit mode instead of read.
RATE_LIMITED — provider returned 429; back off and retry after a delay.
SUBPROCESS_TIMEOUT — run exceeded the wall-clock limit; increase or split the task.
SUBPROCESS_FAILED — non-zero exit not matching the above; check error.evidence for raw output.

For detailed recovery hints on each code, load references/failure-modes.md.

---name: delegate-to-clidescription: Delegates bounded subtasks (text-in/text-out, large-token, no harness MCPs needed) to a local CLI agent (claude/codex/gemini) via scripts/delegate.sh. Use when the task is large enough to warrant a subprocess but doesn't need the harness's own primitives. Returns the subagent's final text plus structured error info.---# delegate-to-cli## When to useReach for this skill when **all four** are true:1. **Bounded** — clear start, clear end, output is text or a verifiable file change2. **Text-in/text-out** — no need for tool-call structure back to the parent3. **Large in tokens** — would burn the parent's context if done inline4. **Doesn't need this harness's own primitives or MCP servers**## Available scripts- `scripts/delegate.sh <cli> <mode> <prompt>` — Run a bounded subtask via a local CLI agent and return its result. CLI: `claude` | `codex` | `gemini`. Mode: `read` | `edit`.- `scripts/verify-cli.sh <cli>` — Check the CLI binary is on PATH and meets the minimum version. Run once if delegate fails with `CLI_NOT_FOUND` or `CLI_VERSION_TOO_OLD`.## Workflow1. Verify the CLI is available (first use): `scripts/verify-cli.sh claude`2. Delegate: `scripts/delegate.sh claude read "Summarize the README"`3. Read the JSON result. On `status: ok`, the subagent's output is in `result.output`.4. On `status: error`, follow `next_steps`. Common cases listed in `references/failure-modes.md`.## Gotchas- **Permission mode is the #1 source of silent hangs.** `scripts/delegate.sh` requires `<mode>` to be `read` (analysis-only) or `edit` (file modification). The script maps these to the correct CLI permission flags. If you bypass the script and call the CLI directly without the right flag for an edit task, the subprocess hangs forever — see `references/permission-flags.md`.- **CLI invocation may fall outside the CLI's subscription TOS.** The user opted in during `harness init` if delegation is enabled.- **Do not fall back silently on CLI_NOT_FOUND.** Tell the user what is missing so they can install it.## Failure modesIf `scripts/delegate.sh` returns `status: error`, read `error.code`:- `CLI_NOT_FOUND` — binary missing; tell the user to install it.- `CLI_VERSION_TOO_OLD` — see `references/failure-modes.md` for minimum versions and upgrade paths.- `INVALID_INPUT` — bad `<cli>` or `<mode>` argument; re-invoke with correct values.- `PERMISSION_FLAG_MISSING` — subprocess hung; re-invoke with `edit` mode instead of `read`.- `RATE_LIMITED` — provider returned 429; back off and retry after a delay.- `SUBPROCESS_TIMEOUT` — run exceeded the wall-clock limit; increase or split the task.- `SUBPROCESS_FAILED` — non-zero exit not matching the above; check `error.evidence` for raw output.For detailed recovery hints on each code, load `references/failure-modes.md`.

Frequently asked questions