# Parallel

> Run a task in a background sub-agent so you can continue working on other things. Use when explicitly invoked via the '/parallel' slash command. Never auto-triggers from natural language.

- Skill: `ravnhq/parallel` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add ravnhq/parallel`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/ravnhq/parallel/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: ravnhq (https://skillmd.com/u/ravnhq)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/ravnhq/parallel

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# Parallel

Run the given task in a background sub-agent so you can continue working on other things.

## Workflow

### 1. Parse input

The user's input is:

$ARGUMENTS

Determine whether it is a **skill invocation** or a **plain text task**.

### 2. Detect skill invocations

If the input starts with `/` (e.g., `/promptify`, `/review-pr`, `/pr-comments-address TICKET-123`), it is a skill invocation:

1. Extract the skill name (the word after `/`) and any remaining text as the skill arguments.
2. In the Agent tool prompt, instruct the sub-agent to use the **Skill tool** with the extracted skill name and arguments. For example, if the input is `/cc fix auth bug`, tell the agent: "Use the Skill tool with skill 'cc' and args 'fix auth bug'."

### 3. Build plain text tasks

If the input does NOT start with `/`, pass it directly as the Agent tool prompt.

### 4. Execute

Use the Agent tool with `run_in_background: true`. Do NOT block on the agent's result. Continue responding to the user immediately after launching it. When the agent completes, report the result.

## Examples

### Positive Trigger

User: "/parallel /promptify audit all skills against our findings doc."

Expected behavior: Launch a background agent that invokes the `promptify` skill with args "audit all skills against our findings doc."

### Non-Trigger

User: "Fix the bug in the checkout flow."

Expected behavior: Do not use `parallel`; execute the task directly in the foreground.

## Troubleshooting

### Agent Does Not Start

- Error: The background agent fails to launch.
- Cause: Missing or malformed Agent tool parameters.
- Solution: Ensure `run_in_background: true` is set and the prompt is a non-empty string.

### Skill Not Found in Sub-Agent

- Error: The sub-agent reports the skill does not exist.
- Cause: The skill name extracted from the `/` prefix does not match any available skill.
- Solution: Verify the skill name matches an installed skill. Check available skills with `/help`.