| name | spawn-investigator |
| description | Investigate a codebase question using an isolated subagent. Use when you need to read many files without bloating the main context. |
| argument-hint | ["question to investigate"] |
Spawn Investigator
Launch an isolated investigation subagent to answer a codebase question without polluting the main conversation context.
Why This Exists
Reading many files to answer a question fills up the main context window. By spawning an Explore-type subagent, the investigation happens in a separate context. Only the concise answer comes back, keeping the main context clean for actual work.
Usage
/spawn-investigator <question> — User-invoked investigation- Claude can also auto-invoke this when it recognizes a question requiring broad codebase exploration
Procedure
Step 1: Formulate the Question
Parse $ARGUMENTS into a clear, specific investigation question. If the question is vague, refine it:
- BAD: "How does auth work?"
- GOOD: "What authentication middleware is used, where is it configured, and what are the auth routes?"
Step 2: Spawn the Subagent
Use the Task tool with these parameters:
subagent_type: Explore
description: "Investigate: [short summary]"
prompt: |
Investigate this question about the codebase:
**Question:** [the question]
Instructions:
- Search broadly first (Glob for file patterns, Grep for keywords)
- Read the most relevant files
- Trace the code path if needed (follow imports, function calls)
- Return a CONCISE answer (max 500 words) with:
1. Direct answer to the question
2. Key file paths discovered
3. Any important caveats or gotchas
- Do NOT include full file contents in your response
Step 3: Report Back
When the subagent returns, present the findings to the user:
## Investigation Results: [question summary]
[Subagent's concise answer]
### Key Files
- `path/to/file1` — [what it does]
- `path/to/file2` — [what it does]
If the answer is insufficient, offer to spawn a follow-up investigator with a more specific question.
When to Auto-Invoke
Claude should consider auto-invoking this skill when:
- The user asks a broad "how does X work?" question
- Answering requires reading 5+ files
- The main context is already large (approaching compaction)
- The question is about understanding, not modifying, code
