delegate-task

name: delegate-task description: Delegate a task by forking a terminal session to a new terminal window. Use this when the user requests 'delegate' or 'create a new terminal' or 'new terminal: ' or 'fork session: '.

Purpose

Fork a new terminal session to a new terminal window using one Claude Code. Follow the Instructions, execute the Workflow.

Variables

DEFAULT_MODEL: opus HEAVY_MODEL: opus BASE_MODEL: sonnet FAST_MODEL: haiku

Employees

If user specifies "delegate to ", read .claude/reference/employees.json to get the repo path.

Instructions

• Before executing the command, run claude --help to understand the command and its options.
• Always use interactive mode (leave off -p flag)
• For the --model argument, use DEFAULT_MODEL if not specified. If 'fast' is requested, use FAST_MODEL. If 'heavy' is requested, use HEAVY_MODEL.
• Always run with --dangerously-skip-permissions

Cross-Repo Context (CRITICAL)

When delegating to a different repo (employee), the agent operates in THEIR directory, not yours. Before crafting the prompt:

1. Capture source repo path: Run pwd to get current working directory (SOURCE_REPO)

2. Use absolute paths in prompt for all source repo references:

   • Source tasks: {SOURCE_REPO}/tasks/...
   • Context files: {SOURCE_REPO}/context/...
   • Output directory: {SOURCE_REPO}/outputs/

3. Instruct agent to use its skills: Include in prompt: "First, check your available skills at .claude/skills/ and use any relevant ones for this task."

4. Specify output location explicitly: "Save deliverables to {SOURCE_REPO}/outputs/YYYY-MM-DD-.md"

File Handling

• Instruct delegated agents to update existing vault files (tasks/, projects/, people/) directly—never create duplicates
• For deliverables, save to source repo's outputs/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.<ext> using absolute path
• Link from the reference file under ## Outputs using the obsidian [[slug]] schema

Source Task Callback

When delegating work related to an existing task or project:

1. Identify the source file (e.g., tasks/next-weeks-video-idea.md)
2. Include in the prompt: "When complete, update {absolute_path_to_source_file} with status and link to your output."

Fork Summary User Prompts

• IF: The user requests a fork terminal with a summary.
• THEN:
  • Read, and REPLACE the .claude/skills/delegate/references/fork_summary_user_prompt.md with the history of the conversation between you and the user so far.
  • Include the next users request in the Next User Request section.
  • This will be what you pass into the PROMPT parameter of the agentic coding tool.
  • IMPORTANT: To be clear, don't update the file directly, just read it, fill it out IN YOUR MEMORY and use it to craft a new prompt in the structure provided for the new fork agent.
  • Let's be super clear here, the fork_summary_user_prompt.md is a template for you to fill out IN YOUR MEMORY. Once you've filled it out, pass that prompt to the agentic coding tool.
  • XML Tags have been added to let you know exactly what you need to replace. You'll be replacing the and sections.
• EXAMPLES:
  • "fork terminal use claude code to summarize work so far"
  • "spin up a new terminal request using claude code include summary"
  • "create a new terminal to with claude code with summary"

Workflow

1. Understand the user's request.
2. Craft a clear, complete prompt describing the task for the delegated agent.
3. Build the claude command with prompt: claude --model <MODEL> --dangerously-skip-permissions "<PROMPT>"
   • CRITICAL: The prompt MUST be included as a positional argument. Without it, Claude opens with no task.
4. Execute fork:
   • Default (same repo): .claude/skills/delegate/scripts/fork_terminal.py '<full command>'
   • Different repo: .claude/skills/delegate/scripts/fork_terminal.py '<full command>' --repo '<employee_path>'
   • Use single quotes around the full command, double quotes around the prompt.

Examples

User says: "delegate research on X" Execute: .claude/skills/delegate/scripts/fork_terminal.py 'claude --model opus --dangerously-skip-permissions "Research X and summarize findings"'

User says: "fork terminal to build feature Y" Execute: .claude/skills/delegate/scripts/fork_terminal.py 'claude --model opus --dangerously-skip-permissions "Implement feature Y in this codebase"'

User says: "delegate to head-of-content: research video ideas" -> Run pwd to capture SOURCE_REPO -> Read employees.json, get path for "head-of-content" -> Craft prompt with: (1) instruction to use .claude/skills/, (2) absolute paths to SOURCE_REPO files Execute: .claude/skills/delegate/scripts/fork_terminal.py 'claude --model opus --dangerously-skip-permissions "First check .claude/skills/ for relevant skills. Research video ideas. Context: {SOURCE_REPO}/context/... Output to: {SOURCE_REPO}/outputs/..."' --repo '<employee_path>'