subagent-driven-development

Execute

→ Have an implementation plan with independent tasks? → Fresh subagent per task + two-stage review.

1. Read plan, extract all tasks, create TodoWrite
2. Per task: dispatch implementer → answer questions → implementer completes
3. Review stage 1 (spec compliance) → fix gaps → re-review until ✅
4. Review stage 2 (code quality) → fix issues → re-review until ✅
5. Mark complete, update checkpoint, drift check → next task → All tasks done: dispatch final code reviewer → finishing-a-development-branch.

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.

Why subagents: You delegate tasks to specialized agents with isolated context. By precisely crafting their instructions and context, you ensure they stay focused and succeed at their task. They should never inherit your session's context or history — you construct exactly what they need. This also preserves your own context for coordination work.

Core principle: Fresh subagent per task + two-stage review (spec then quality) = high quality, fast iteration

When to Use

Use when you have a written implementation plan with mostly independent tasks and want to stay in the current session. For cross-session execution, use executing-plans instead.

The Process

1. Read plan, extract all tasks with full text, create TodoWrite
2. Per task: dispatch implementer with task text + baseline refs + checkpoint + non-goals
3. Implementer completes → dispatch spec compliance reviewer → fix gaps → re-review until ✅
4. Dispatch code quality reviewer → fix issues → re-review until ✅
5. Mark task complete, update checkpoint, drift check → next task
6. All tasks done → final code reviewer → finishing-a-development-branch

Before multi-task plans: load long-task-continuation, create checkpoint, include in every implementer prompt.

Before dispatching an implementer, build a SubagentContextPacket instead of passing full conversation history. Include:

• task
• goal and stop condition
• relevant baseline refs and files
• known facts and unknowns
• non-goals
• expected output and verification
• must-read excerpts
• unsafe assumptions

The packet is a compact handoff, not a substitute for evidence. Give raw excerpts or file refs for facts the subagent must verify.

Do not paste full chat transcripts, full session history, or unbounded logs into SubagentContextPacket. Prefer must-read excerpts, file refs, line/window hints, and explicit unsafe assumptions.

Model Selection

Use the least powerful model per role: mechanical (1-2 files, complete spec) → fast/cheap. Integration (multi-file, pattern matching) → standard. Architecture/design/review → most capable.

Handling Implementer Status

Each implementer prompt must include:

• active task text
• SubagentContextPacket when goal framing, long-task, or multi-agent work is active
• relevant baseline refs
• latest TodoCheckpointDraft
• any ResumeStateHint
• explicit non-goals
• verification expected for the task

The implementer may update task-local evidence, but the controller owns the consolidated checkpoint.

Implementer subagents report one of four statuses. Handle each appropriately:

DONE: Proceed to spec compliance review.

DONE_WITH_CONCERNS: The implementer completed the work but flagged doubts. Read the concerns before proceeding. If the concerns are about correctness or scope, address them before review. If they're observations (e.g., "this file is getting large"), note them and proceed to review.

NEEDS_CONTEXT: The implementer needs information that wasn't provided. Provide the missing context and re-dispatch.

BLOCKED: The implementer cannot complete the task. Assess the blocker:

1. If it's a context problem, provide more context and re-dispatch with the same model
2. If the task requires more reasoning, re-dispatch with a more capable model
3. If the task is too large, break it into smaller pieces
4. If the plan itself is wrong, escalate to the human

Never ignore an escalation or force the same model to retry without changes. If the implementer said it's stuck, something needs to change.

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

Red Flags

Never:

• Start implementation on main/master branch without explicit user consent
• 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

After spec compliance and code quality review pass, update the consolidated checkpoint and run a drift check before moving to the next task.

If subagent fails task:

• Dispatch fix subagent with specific instructions
• Don't try to fix manually (context pollution)

Integration

Required workflow skills:

• aegis:using-git-worktrees - REQUIRED: Set up isolated workspace before starting
• aegis:writing-plans - Creates the plan this skill executes
• aegis:requesting-code-review - Code review template for reviewer subagents
• aegis:finishing-a-development-branch - Complete development after all tasks

Subagents should use:

• aegis:test-driven-development - Subagents follow TDD for each task

Alternative workflow:

• aegis:executing-plans - Use for parallel session instead of same-session execution