New: 98,000+ skills indexed from GitHub repos with 100+ stars · every skill safety-checkedBrowse top skillsTop skills
Esc to closeBrowse all skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills

Agent skill

Subtask

by zippoxer in zippoxer/subtask

Parallel task orchestration CLI that dispatches work to AI workers (via Claude Code) in isolated git workspaces.

MITAuto-check passedAgent Workflows

Install Subtask

skills CLI
$ npx skills add zippoxer/subtask --skill subtask -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install zippoxer/subtask subtask --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/zippoxer/subtask.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/pkg/install .claude/skills/subtask && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
subtask
GitHub stars
338
Token cost
~1.2k tokens
SKILL.md length
503 words
Files
6
Skills in repo
1
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Parallel task orchestration CLI that dispatches work to AI workers (via Claude Code) in isolated git workspaces.

  • Works in 4 steps: Understand before delegating — ask… → Own the complexity — stay on top of all… → Work autonomously — review output,… → …
  • The user wants to draft
  • SKILL.md covers Mindset, Commands, Flow and Merging, plus 3 more sections
  • Runs Go scripts from its folder

What it does

Subtask is an agent skill from zippoxer/subtask. Parallel task orchestration CLI that dispatches work to AI workers (via Claude Code) in isolated git workspaces. Use when the user wants to draft, create, run, or manage tasks, delegate tasks to workers/subagents, or mentions subtask or Subtask.

Its SKILL.md is about 1.2k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 5 other files.

It sits in Agent Workflows, covering Task breakdown. It works with Git. The repository describes itself as: Claude Skill to do your tasks with subagents in Git worktrees. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • The user wants to draft
  • Delegate tasks to workers/subagents
  • Mentions subtask

Example prompts

  • “/subtask”

Workflow steps

4 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Understand before delegating — ask questions, clarify requirements. Don't rush to create tasks until you understand what the user actually…
  2. Own the complexity — stay on top of all tasks. Surface progress and blockers. Don't make the user chase status.
  3. Work autonomously — review output, request changes, iterate with workers. Only involve the user for decisions they need to make.
  4. Ask before merging — get user sign-off before merging. Don't merge without user approval.

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 3a1be5a. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Ships script files (Go), which the agent can run.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Subtask loads about 1.2k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 63 tokens; SKILL.md has 503 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~63
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.2k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from zippoxer/subtask at commit 3a1be5a, republished under its MIT licence (© zippoxer). 503 words, ~1,183 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/subtask/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 5 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
subtask
description
Parallel task orchestration CLI that dispatches work to AI workers (via Claude Code) in isolated git workspaces. Use when the user wants to draft, create, run, or manage tasks, delegate tasks to workers/subagents, or mentions subtask or Subtask.

Subtask

Subtask is a CLI for orchestrating parallel AI workers. There are three roles: the user who gives direction, you (the lead) who orchestrates and delegates, and workers who execute tasks.

Each worker runs in an isolated git worktree. They can't conflict with each other.

The user tells you what they need. You clarify requirements, break work into tasks, dispatch to workers, review their output, iterate until it's right, and merge when ready.

Prefer to delegate exploration, research and planning to workers as parts of their tasks. Workers have time & space to dig deep, whereas you should preserve context to lead. Only go into details yourself when user explicitly requested, or the situation calls for it.

Mindset

  1. Understand before delegating — ask questions, clarify requirements. Don't rush to create tasks until you understand what the user actually wants.
  2. Own the complexity — stay on top of all tasks. Surface progress and blockers. Don't make the user chase status.
  3. Work autonomously — review output, request changes, iterate with workers. Only involve the user for decisions they need to make.
  4. Ask before merging — get user sign-off before merging. Don't merge without user approval.

Commands

CommandDescription
subtask ask "..."Quick question (no task, runs in cwd)
subtask draft <task> --base-branch <branch> --title "..." <<'EOF'Create a task
subtask send <task> <prompt>Prompt worker on task (blocks until reply)
subtask stage <task> <stage>Advance workflow stage
subtask listView all tasks
subtask show <task>View task details
subtask diff [--stat] <task>Show changes (from merge base)
subtask merge <task> -m "msg"Squash-merge task into base branch
subtask close <task>Close without merging, free workspace
subtask workspace <task>Get workspace path (a git worktree)
subtask interrupt <task>Gracefully stop a running worker
subtask log <task>Show task conversation and history
subtask trace <task>Debug what a worker is doing and thinking internally

Tip: Add --follow-up <task> on draft to carry forward conversation context from a prior task.

Show full SKILL.md (181 more words)Show less

Flow

bash
# 1. Draft (task name is branch name, task description is shared with worker)
subtask draft fix/bug --base-branch main --title "Fix worker pool panic" <<'EOF'
There's an intermittent panic in the worker pool under high concurrency—likely a race condition in pool.go.
Reproduce, find root cause, fix, and add tests.
EOF

# 2. Start the worker
subtask send fix/bug "Go ahead."

# 3. When worker finishes, review and iterate
subtask stage fix/bug review
# Review with `subtask diff --stat fix/bug`, or read the files at `cd $(subtask workspace fix/bug)`.

# 4. Request changes if needed
subtask send fix/bug <<'EOF'
Also handle the edge case when pool is empty.
EOF

# 5. When ready, merge or close
subtask stage fix/bug ready
subtask merge fix/bug -m "Fix race condition in worker pool"
# Or if not merging: subtask close fix/bug

Critical: Use the Bash tool with run_in_background: true for subtask send. Tell the user you're waiting and stop. Don't poll or check. You'll be notified when done.

Merging

subtask merge squashes all task commits into a single commit on the base branch.

bash
subtask merge fix/bug -m "Fix race condition"

If conflicts occur, merge will fail with instructions. Follow them.

Stages

All tasks have stages: doing → review → ready

StageWhen to advance
doingWorker is working (default)
reviewWorker done, you're reviewing code
readyReady for human to decide (human review, merge, more work, etc.)

Advance with: subtask stage <task> <stage>

Planning Workflows

For complex tasks, add a plan stage: plan → implement → review → ready

You plan (--workflow you-plan): You draft PLAN.md in task folder, worker reviews and pokes holes. They plan (--workflow they-plan): Worker drafts PLAN.md in task folder, you review and approve or request changes.

Notes

  • Use subtask list to see what’s in flight.
  • Use subtask show <task> to see progress and details.
  • Use subtask log <task> to see task conversation and events.
  • Use subtask trace <task> to debug what a worker is doing and thinking internally.

© zippoxer, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 5 other files in pkg/install of zippoxer/subtask.

  • SKILL.md
  • autoupdate.go
  • autoupdate_test.go
  • install.go
  • install_test.go
  • migrate_legacy_claude_plugin.go

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3a1be5a

Compare with similar skills

Subtask next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Subtask compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Subtask this skillzippoxer/subtask338—~1.2kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Agtx Task Sweepfynnfluegge/agtx1.7k—~1.7kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Vspawnvlinx-io/VelaTerm270—~2.5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
GSD Quick Batchopen-gsd/gsd-core10k—~1.4kAutomated safety check: NotesMIT
Blueprint Construction Planneraffaan-m/ECC275k5 repos~1.3kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
CCPM Project Managementautomazeio/ccpm8.4k—~1.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

Similar skills

  • Agtx Task Sweep

    fynnfluegge/agtx

    Breaks a conversation's results into feature-level tasks and pushes them to the agtx kanban board, where each task gets its own worktree and agent session.

    1.7k GitHub stars~1.7k tokensUpdated 5 days ago
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • Vspawn

    vlinx-io/VelaTerm

    Explicitly spawn a standalone child session under the current vlx-term session, passing the task in as its first message (mirrors spawntask).

    270 GitHub stars~2.5k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • GSD Quick Batch

    open-gsd/gsd-core

    Runs several small /gsd-quick tasks as one batch, with a single coordinator that plans them, dispatches workers per item and owns all shared writes and worktree merges.

    10k GitHub stars~1.4k tokensUpdated today
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check: notes

  • Blueprint Construction Planner

    affaan-m/ECC

    Turns a one-line objective into a multi-step plan file with PR-sized steps, context briefs, a dependency graph, parallel-step detection and an adversarial review.

    275k GitHub starsUsed in 5 repos~1.3k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • CCPM Project Management

    automazeio/ccpm

    Runs a spec-driven workflow from PRD to epic to GitHub issues to parallel agents, with status, standup and blocked-work reports from bundled scripts.

    8.4k GitHub stars~1.1k tokensUpdated 6 mo ago
    Product & Project ManagementAuto-check passed

  • Review Spd

    zhu1090093659/spec_driven_develop

    Findings-first code review workflow for AI coding agents. An agent skill from zhu1090093659/spec_driven_develop.

    984 GitHub stars~1.5k tokensUpdated 2 mo ago
    DevelopmentAuto-check passed

Works with

Categories

Questions about Subtask

What does Subtask do?

Parallel task orchestration CLI that dispatches work to AI workers (via Claude Code) in isolated git workspaces. Subtask is an agent skill from zippoxer/subtask. Parallel task orchestration CLI that dispatches work to AI workers (via Claude Code) in isolated git workspaces.

When should I use Subtask?

Subtask fits situations like: the user wants to draft; delegate tasks to workers/subagents; mentions subtask.

How do I install Subtask in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add zippoxer/subtask --skill subtask -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (pkg/install in zippoxer/subtask) into .claude/skills/subtask in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Subtask in Codex?

Run `npx skills add zippoxer/subtask --skill subtask -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (pkg/install in zippoxer/subtask) into .agents/skills/subtask in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Subtask in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add zippoxer/subtask --skill subtask -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/subtask, .gemini/skills/subtask, .github/skills/subtask and .opencode/skills/subtask in your project.

What does Subtask need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Subtask needs Go for the scripts in its folder.

Does Subtask access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Subtask safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Subtask use?

Subtask is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Subtask use?

About 1.2k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 4.7k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Subtask?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Subtask: Agtx Task Sweep (fynnfluegge/agtx, 1.7k stars), Vspawn (vlinx-io/VelaTerm, 270 stars), GSD Quick Batch (open-gsd/gsd-core, 10k stars) and Blueprint Construction Planner (affaan-m/ECC, 275k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Subtask?

zippoxer (a GitHub user) maintains it in zippoxer/subtask, which has 338 GitHub stars. The repository was last updated on April 27, 2026.

Source: zippoxer/subtask on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.