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Subagent-Driven Development — Setup Guide

Source: nousresearch/hermes-agent (88 installs) Category: Development / Workflow Automation License: MIT · Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows Dependencies: Hermes Agent v0.20.0+, delegate_task tool access

Execute implementation plans by dispatching fresh subagents per task with systematic two-stage review. Each task gets a clean context, dedicated subagent, and automated spec-then-quality review between tasks. Ideal for complex multi-file projects where context isolation prevents subtle errors from creeping across task boundaries.

What It Does

Capability How
Task dispatch Spawns fresh subagents per task — clean context, no pollution
Two-stage review Spec compliance check then code quality review
Parallel execution Independent tasks run concurrently via delegation
Implementation plans Consumes output from the plan skill or user requirements
Automated gating Failed review blocks next task until fix applied

How It Works

┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐
│  Task Plan    │────▶│  Subagent 1  │────▶│ Spec Review  │
│  (from plan)  │     │  (isolated)  │     │   (Gate 1)   │
└──────────────┘     └──────────────┘     └──────┬───────┘
                                                 │ pass
┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐     ┌──────▼───────┐
│  Dispatch 2   │◀────│  Subagent 2  │◀────│ Quality Rev  │
│  (next task)  │     │  (isolated)  │     │   (Gate 2)   │
└──────────────┘     └──────────────┘     └──────────────┘

The core principle is fresh subagent per task. Each subagent sees only its own task context — no cross-contamination from prior work. Reviews are automated between tasks so nothing slips through.

Installation

npx skills add https://github.com/nousresearch/hermes-agent --skill subagent-driven-development

Direct from Hermes Agent Repo

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/nousresearch/hermes-agent.git /tmp/hermes-agent
cp -r /tmp/hermes-agent/skills/development/subagent-driven-development ~/.hermes/skills/

Prerequisites

  1. Hermes Agent v0.20.0+ — delegation subsystem required
  2. delegate_task tool — must be enabled in your Hermes config
  3. Implementation plan — from plan skill or documented requirements

Basic Usage

Load the skill and trigger with an implementation plan:

> Load subagent-driven-development skill
> Here's my plan for the auth refactor:
>   1. Extract token logic to auth.ts
>   2. Add refresh token rotation
>   3. Update API client to use new auth
>   4. Write tests for all flows
> Execute this with subagent-driven-development

Hermes will: 1. Parse the plan into discrete tasks 2. Dispatch Task 1 to a fresh subagent 3. Run spec review on Task 1 output 4. Run code quality review on Task 1 output 5. Only proceed to Task 2 after both reviews pass 6. Repeat for all tasks

Configuration

No additional configuration required. The skill uses Hermes' built-in delegation system. For optimal results:

  • Subagent model: Set delegation.model in config.yaml to match your task complexity (Sonnet for routine, Opus for critical)
  • Max concurrent: Set delegation.max_concurrent_children for independent task parallelism
  • Review strictness: The two-stage review is opinionated — spec compliance then code quality. Adjust by editing the skill's review prompts if needed.

When to Use vs When Not

✅ Use When ❌ Don't Use When
Multi-file, multi-task projects Single file quick fixes
Tasks are mostly independent Tasks have deep sequential dependencies
Quality/spec compliance critical Exploratory/prototype work
Want automated review between steps Tasks under 30 seconds each

Tips

  • Combine with plan skill: Generate the implementation plan first, then feed it here
  • Review output lives in delegation logs: Check ~/.hermes/cache/delegation/ for review results
  • Failed reviews produce actionable feedback: The subagent gets specific fix instructions, not just "failed"
  • For sensitive work: Use Opus routing for both the dispatcher and subagents

Troubleshooting

Problem Likely Cause Fix
"No delegation tool" delegate_task not enabled hermes config set delegation.enabled true
Subagent model wrong Config override Check delegation.model in config.yaml
Reviews too strict/lenient Prompt tuning needed Edit skill review templates in ~/.hermes/skills/subagent-driven-development/

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