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Skill v1.0.1
currentAutomated scan100/100lgbarn/devops-skills/subagent-driven-development
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PublishedOctober 29, 2026 at 09:29 AM
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name: subagent-driven-development description: Use when executing implementation plans with independent tasks in the current session metadata: version: "1.0.1"
Subagent-Driven Development
Execute plan by dispatching fresh subagent per task, with two-stage review after each: spec compliance review first, then code quality review.
Core principle: Fresh subagent per task + two-stage review (spec then quality) = high quality, fast iteration
When to Use
dot
digraph when_to_use {"Have implementation plan?" [shape=diamond];"Tasks mostly independent?" [shape=diamond];"Stay in this session?" [shape=diamond];"subagent-driven-development" [shape=box];"executing-plans" [shape=box];"Manual execution or brainstorm first" [shape=box];"Have implementation plan?" -> "Tasks mostly independent?" [label="yes"];"Have implementation plan?" -> "Manual execution or brainstorm first" [label="no"];"Tasks mostly independent?" -> "Stay in this session?" [label="yes"];"Tasks mostly independent?" -> "Manual execution or brainstorm first" [label="no - tightly coupled"];"Stay in this session?" -> "subagent-driven-development" [label="yes"];"Stay in this session?" -> "executing-plans" [label="no - parallel session"];}
vs. Executing Plans (parallel session):
- Same session (no context switch)
- Fresh subagent per task (no context pollution)
- Two-stage review after each task: spec compliance first, then code quality
- Faster iteration (no human-in-loop between tasks)
The Process
dot
digraph process {rankdir=TB;subgraph cluster_per_task {label="Per Task";"Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)" [shape=box];"Implementer subagent asks questions?" [shape=diamond];"Answer questions, provide context" [shape=box];"Implementer subagent implements, tests, commits, self-reviews" [shape=box];"Dispatch spec reviewer subagent (./spec-reviewer-prompt.md)" [shape=box];"Spec reviewer subagent confirms code matches spec?" [shape=diamond];"Implementer subagent fixes spec gaps" [shape=box];"Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent (./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md)" [shape=box];"Code quality reviewer subagent approves?" [shape=diamond];"Implementer subagent fixes quality issues" [shape=box];"Mark task complete in TodoWrite" [shape=box];}"Read plan, extract all tasks with full text, note context, create TodoWrite" [shape=box];"More tasks remain?" [shape=diamond];"Dispatch final code reviewer subagent for entire implementation" [shape=box];"Use devops-skills:finishing-a-development-branch" [shape=box style=filled fillcolor=lightgreen];"Read plan, extract all tasks with full text, note context, create TodoWrite" -> "Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)";"Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)" -> "Implementer subagent asks questions?";"Implementer subagent asks questions?" -> "Answer questions, provide context" [label="yes"];"Answer questions, provide context" -> "Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)";"Implementer subagent asks questions?" -> "Implementer subagent implements, tests, commits, self-reviews" [label="no"];"Implementer subagent implements, tests, commits, self-reviews" -> "Dispatch spec reviewer subagent (./spec-reviewer-prompt.md)";"Dispatch spec reviewer subagent (./spec-reviewer-prompt.md)" -> "Spec reviewer subagent confirms code matches spec?";"Spec reviewer subagent confirms code matches spec?" -> "Implementer subagent fixes spec gaps" [label="no"];"Implementer subagent fixes spec gaps" -> "Dispatch spec reviewer subagent (./spec-reviewer-prompt.md)" [label="re-review"];"Spec reviewer subagent confirms code matches spec?" -> "Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent (./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md)" [label="yes"];"Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent (./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md)" -> "Code quality reviewer subagent approves?";"Code quality reviewer subagent approves?" -> "Implementer subagent fixes quality issues" [label="no"];"Implementer subagent fixes quality issues" -> "Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent (./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md)" [label="re-review"];"Code quality reviewer subagent approves?" -> "Mark task complete in TodoWrite" [label="yes"];"Mark task complete in TodoWrite" -> "More tasks remain?";"More tasks remain?" -> "Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)" [label="yes"];"More tasks remain?" -> "Dispatch final code reviewer subagent for entire implementation" [label="no"];"Dispatch final code reviewer subagent for entire implementation" -> "Use devops-skills:finishing-a-development-branch";}
Prompt Templates
./implementer-prompt.md- Dispatch implementer subagent./spec-reviewer-prompt.md- Dispatch spec compliance reviewer subagent./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md- Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent
Task Tool Syntax
Use the Task tool with these parameters:
// Implementer subagentTask:description: "Implement [task name]"prompt: "[Full task text from plan + context + implementer-prompt.md content]"subagent_type: "general-purpose"// Spec reviewer subagentTask:description: "Spec review [task name]"prompt: "[Spec requirements + code location + spec-reviewer-prompt.md content]"subagent_type: "general-purpose"// Code quality reviewer subagentTask:description: "Code review [task name]"prompt: "[Git SHAs + file paths + code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md content]"subagent_type: "code-reviewer" // Or general-purpose
Key parameters:
description- Short (3-5 words) summary for trackingprompt- Full context and instructionssubagent_type- Agent type (general-purpose, or custom from agents/)model- Optional: "haiku" for quick reviews, "opus" for complex tasks
Example Workflow
You: I'm using Subagent-Driven Development to execute this plan.[Read plan file once: docs/plans/feature-plan.md][Extract all 5 tasks with full text and context][Create TodoWrite with all tasks]Task 1: Hook installation script[Get Task 1 text and context (already extracted)][Dispatch implementation subagent with full task text + context]Implementer: "Before I begin - should the hook be installed at user or system level?"You: "User level (~/.config/devops-skills/hooks/)"Implementer: "Got it. Implementing now..."[Later] Implementer:- Implemented install-hook command- Added tests, 5/5 passing- Self-review: Found I missed --force flag, added it- Committed[Dispatch spec compliance reviewer]Spec reviewer: ✅ Spec compliant - all requirements met, nothing extra[Get git SHAs, dispatch code quality reviewer]Code reviewer: Strengths: Good test coverage, clean. Issues: None. Approved.[Mark Task 1 complete]Task 2: Recovery modes[Get Task 2 text and context (already extracted)][Dispatch implementation subagent with full task text + context]Implementer: [No questions, proceeds]Implementer:- Added verify/repair modes- 8/8 tests passing- Self-review: All good- Committed[Dispatch spec compliance reviewer]Spec reviewer: ❌ Issues:- Missing: Progress reporting (spec says "report every 100 items")- Extra: Added --json flag (not requested)[Implementer fixes issues]Implementer: Removed --json flag, added progress reporting[Spec reviewer reviews again]Spec reviewer: ✅ Spec compliant now[Dispatch code quality reviewer]Code reviewer: Strengths: Solid. Issues (Important): Magic number (100)[Implementer fixes]Implementer: Extracted PROGRESS_INTERVAL constant[Code reviewer reviews again]Code reviewer: ✅ Approved[Mark Task 2 complete]...[After all tasks][Dispatch final code-reviewer]Final reviewer: All requirements met, ready to mergeDone!
Advantages
vs. Manual execution:
- Subagents follow TDD naturally
- Fresh context per task (no confusion)
- Parallel-safe (subagents don't interfere)
- Subagent can ask questions (before AND during work)
vs. Executing Plans:
- Same session (no handoff)
- Continuous progress (no waiting)
- Review checkpoints automatic
Efficiency gains:
- No file reading overhead (controller provides full text)
- Controller curates exactly what context is needed
- Subagent gets complete information upfront
- Questions surfaced before work begins (not after)
Quality gates:
- Self-review catches issues before handoff
- Two-stage review: spec compliance, then code quality
- Review loops ensure fixes actually work
- Spec compliance prevents over/under-building
- Code quality ensures implementation is well-built
Cost:
- More subagent invocations (implementer + 2 reviewers per task)
- Controller does more prep work (extracting all tasks upfront)
- Review loops add iterations
- But catches issues early (cheaper than debugging later)
Red Flags
Never:
- Skip reviews (spec compliance OR code quality)
- Proceed with unfixed issues
- Dispatch multiple implementation subagents in parallel (conflicts)
- Make subagent read plan file (provide full text instead)
- Skip scene-setting context (subagent needs to understand where task fits)
- Ignore subagent questions (answer before letting them proceed)
- Accept "close enough" on spec compliance (spec reviewer found issues = not done)
- Skip review loops (reviewer found issues = implementer fixes = review again)
- Let implementer self-review replace actual review (both are needed)
- Start code quality review before spec compliance is ✅ (wrong order)
- Move to next task while either review has open issues
If subagent asks questions:
- Answer clearly and completely
- Provide additional context if needed
- Don't rush them into implementation
If reviewer finds issues:
- Implementer (same subagent) fixes them
- Reviewer reviews again
- Repeat until approved
- Don't skip the re-review
If subagent fails task:
- Dispatch fix subagent with specific instructions
- Don't try to fix manually (context pollution)
Integration
Required workflow skills:
- devops-skills:writing-plans - Creates the plan this skill executes
- devops-skills:requesting-code-review - Code review template for reviewer subagents
- devops-skills:finishing-a-development-branch - Complete development after all tasks
Subagents should use:
- devops-skills:test-driven-development - Subagents follow TDD for each task
Alternative workflow:
- devops-skills:executing-plans - Use for parallel session instead of same-session execution