Agent Selection
| Need | Agent | Model | subagent_type | |------|-------|-------|---------------| | Find code/files | explorer | haiku | Explore | | Web/doc research | researcher | haiku | general-purpose | | Plan changes | architect | sonnet | Plan | | Write code | implementer | sonnet | general-purpose | | Review changes | reviewer | sonnet | general-purpose | | Fix bugs | debugger | sonnet | general-purpose | | Git operations | git-agent | haiku | general-purpose |
Prompt Structure (REQUIRED)
- Task -- one clear objective
- Scope -- exclusive file list (no other agent touches these)
- Output -- specific return format
- Constraints -- what NOT to do
- Acceptance criteria -- machine-checkable (grep, test exit codes)
Never embed file content in prompts. Give intent + verification criteria.
Model Selection
- Can downgrade (sonnet -> haiku). Never upgrade without asking orchestrator.
- Default to cheaper when unsure.
Parallel Spawning
Independent tasks -> multiple Task calls in ONE message block. Max 5 parallel agents.
File Ownership
Each file modified by AT MOST one concurrent agent.
Overlap -> serialize with depends_on, or merge into one task.
Anti-Patterns
- Don't spawn for one-liner tasks or <3 tool calls
- Don't use opus for subagents (orchestrator only)
- Don't give vague prompts ("look around")
- Batch related work into one agent