| name | parallel-agents |
| description | Use only when the user explicitly wants delegation, subagents, or parallel task decomposition across independent workstreams. |
Native Parallel Agents
Orchestration through Codex subagents and bounded parallel work
Overview
This skill enables coordinating multiple specialized subagents through Codex-native delegation. Unlike external orchestration scripts, this approach keeps planning, delegation, and synthesis inside the same Codex workflow.
When to Use Orchestration
✅ Good for:
- Complex tasks requiring multiple expertise domains
- Code analysis from security, performance, and quality perspectives
- Comprehensive reviews (architecture + security + testing)
- Feature implementation needing backend + frontend + database work
❌ Not for:
- Simple, single-domain tasks
- Quick fixes or small changes
- Tasks where one agent suffices
Native Agent Invocation
Single Agent
Use the security_auditor subagent to review authentication
Sequential Chain
First, use the explorer subagent to discover project structure.
Then, use the backend_specialist subagent to review API endpoints.
Finally, use the test_writer subagent to identify test gaps.
With Context Passing
Use the frontend_specialist subagent to analyze React components.
Based on those findings, have the test_writer subagent generate component tests.
Resume Previous Work
Resume agent [agentId] and continue with additional requirements.
Orchestration Patterns
Pattern 1: Comprehensive Analysis
Agents: explorer → [domain-subagents] → synthesis
1. explorer: Map codebase structure
2. security_auditor: Security posture
3. backend_specialist: API quality
4. frontend_specialist: UI/UX patterns
5. test_writer: Test coverage
6. Synthesize all findings
Pattern 2: Feature Review
Agents: affected-domain-subagents → test_writer
1. Identify affected domains (backend? frontend? both?)
2. Invoke relevant domain subagents
3. test_writer verifies changes
4. Synthesize recommendations
Pattern 3: Security Audit
Agents: security_auditor → reviewer or backend_specialist → synthesis
1. security_auditor: Configuration and code review
2. reviewer or backend_specialist: Confirm impact in changed code paths
3. Synthesize with prioritized remediation
Available Subagents
| Subagent | Expertise | Trigger Phrases |
|---|
planner | Planning | "plan", "roadmap", "milestones" |
explorer | Discovery | "explore", "map", "structure" |
security_auditor | Security | "security", "auth", "vulnerabilities" |
backend_specialist | Backend | "API", "server", "Node.js", "Express" |
frontend_specialist | Frontend | "React", "UI", "components", "Next.js" |
test_writer | Testing | "tests", "coverage", "TDD" |
devops_engineer | DevOps | "deploy", "CI/CD", "infrastructure" |
database_architect | Database | "schema", "Prisma", "migrations" |
mobile_developer | Mobile | "React Native", "Flutter", "mobile" |
debugger | Debugging | "bug", "error", "not working" |
documentation_writer | Documentation | "write docs", "create README", "generate API docs" |
performance_optimizer | Performance | "slow", "optimize", "profiling" |
seo_specialist | SEO | "SEO", "meta tags", "search ranking" |
reviewer | Review | "review", "regression", "correctness" |
docs_researcher | External docs | "docs", "API behavior", "framework docs" |
Built-in Generalists
These can work alongside specialized subagents:
| Agent | Model | Purpose |
|---|
| Explore-like read-only agent | lightweight model | Fast read-only repository search |
| Planning-focused agent | reasoning-oriented model | Research during planning |
| General-purpose agent | coding model | Complex multi-step modifications |
Use generalist discovery for quick searches, and specialized subagents for domain-specific analysis or implementation.
Synthesis Protocol
After all agents complete, synthesize:
## Orchestration Synthesis
### Task Summary
[What was accomplished]
### Agent Contributions
| Agent | Finding |
|-------|---------|
| security_auditor | Found X |
| backend_specialist | Identified Y |
### Consolidated Recommendations
1. **Critical**: [Issue from Agent A]
2. **Important**: [Issue from Agent B]
3. **Nice-to-have**: [Enhancement from Agent C]
### Action Items
- [ ] Fix critical security issue
- [ ] Refactor API endpoint
- [ ] Add missing tests
Best Practices
- Available subagents - Orchestrate only the roles that materially improve the task
- Logical order - Discovery → Analysis → Implementation → Testing
- Share context - Pass relevant findings to subsequent agents
- Single synthesis - One unified report, not separate outputs
- Verify changes - Include
test_writer or another validation-oriented subagent for code modifications when useful
Key Benefits
- ✅ Single session - All agents share context
- ✅ Codex-controlled - Orchestration stays inside the same Codex workflow
- ✅ Native integration - Works with repository skills, workflows, and subagents
- ✅ Resume support - Can continue previous agent work
- ✅ Context passing - Findings flow between agents
