subagents

name	subagents
description	Use subagents to throw more compute at hard problems, keep the main context window clean, and auto-approve safe permissions via hooks. Use when a task is complex, exploratory, or can be parallelized across multiple independent workstreams.
license	MIT
compatibility	Designed for Claude Code
metadata	{"author":"rajit","version":"1.0"}
allowed-tools	Agent

Invoke this skill when a task is complex, exploratory, or parallel in nature. Subagents keep the main context clean and focused.

When to Use Subagents

• Append "use subagents" to any request where you want Claude to throw more compute at the problem
• Use for: codebase exploration, parallel analysis, research, large refactors, test writing
• Do NOT use for: simple one-file edits, quick lookups, single-step tasks

Three Subagent Strategies

A. Parallelization

Offload independent tasks to separate subagents running simultaneously:

use 5 subagents to explore the codebase
→ Explore entry points and startup
→ Explore React component structure
→ Explore tools implementation
→ Explore state management
→ Explore testing infrastructure

B. Context Isolation

Offload heavy research or analysis to a subagent so the main agent's context stays focused on the implementation.

• Research → subagent → returns a summary
• Main agent uses the summary, never sees the raw noise

C. Permission Routing via Hook

Route permission requests to a smarter model via a hook:

• Hook intercepts permission requests
• Sends to a model (e.g., Opus) to scan for attacks and auto-approve safe ones
• Dangerous or ambiguous requests get flagged for human review
• See: code.claude.com/docs for hook configuration

Usage Patterns

# More compute on a hard problem
"Refactor the auth system. Use subagents."

# Parallel exploration
"Use 5 subagents to map out every API endpoint and their dependencies"

# Background agent
ctrl+b  →  runs current task in background agent

Principles

• One focused task per subagent
• Subagents return summaries, not raw data dumps
• Use background agents (ctrl+b) for long-running tasks so you can keep working
• Subagents are especially valuable for: codebase mapping, test generation, doc writing, and competitive analysis