DevFlow Subagents

DevFlow Subagents

This directory contains custom subagents for the DevFlow autonomous development workflow.

Available Subagents

Agent	Purpose	Memory	Mode
trd-implementer	Implements a single TRD	project	acceptEdits
trd-designer	Designs TRDs by exploring codebase	project	plan (read-only)
code-reviewer	Reviews code quality and security	project	plan (read-only)
debugger	Investigates and fixes failures	project	acceptEdits

How Subagents Work

Subagents run in isolated context windows, separate from the main conversation:

Main Conversation (Orchestrator)
├── TaskList, TaskCreate, TaskUpdate
├── High-level coordination
└── Spawns subagents for actual work
    │
    ├── trd-implementer (isolated context)
    │   ├── Reads TRD
    │   ├── Implements feature
    │   ├── Runs verification
    │   └── Returns summary only
    │
    └── code-reviewer (isolated context)
        ├── Reviews changes
        └── Returns findings only

Benefits:

• Context isolation: Verbose output stays in subagent, only summary returns
• Fresh context per TRD: No accumulation of old context
• Persistent memory: Subagents learn patterns across invocations

Native Subagent Memory

Each subagent uses native Claude Code memory (not Memory MCP):

# In subagent frontmatter
memory: project  # Persists in .claude/agent-memory/<agent-name>/

Memory locations:

• project: .claude/agent-memory/<agent-name>/ (git-trackable)
• user: ~/.claude/agent-memory/<agent-name>/ (personal, all projects)
• local: .claude/agent-memory-local/<agent-name>/ (gitignored)

Memory Files

• MEMORY.md: First 200 lines auto-loaded into subagent's system prompt
• Other files: Subagent can read/write additional files for detailed notes

Memory Best Practices

1. Before starting: Check memory for relevant patterns
2. After completing: Update memory with insights learned
3. Keep concise: MEMORY.md should be high-level notes
4. Use files for details: Link to separate files for verbose content

Spawning Subagents

From the orchestrator:

Task(subagent_type: "trd-implementer"):
  Implement the TRD at .devflow/trds/TRD-001-feature.md
  Follow all acceptance criteria.

The subagent:

1. Receives the prompt
2. Has access to its configured tools
3. Has its memory auto-loaded
4. Works autonomously
5. Returns a summary

Creating New Subagents

1. Create agents/your-agent.md
2. Add YAML frontmatter with configuration
3. Write system prompt in markdown body

Frontmatter Options

---
name: your-agent                    # Required: lowercase, hyphens
description: What this agent does   # Required: used for auto-delegation
tools: Read, Edit, Bash             # Optional: allowed tools
model: inherit                      # Optional: sonnet, opus, haiku, inherit
permissionMode: default             # Optional: default, acceptEdits, plan, dontAsk
memory: project                     # Optional: project, user, local
skills:                             # Optional: preload skills
  - verify
  - regression
hooks:                              # Optional: agent-specific hooks
  PreToolUse:
    - matcher: "Bash"
      hooks:
        - type: command
          command: "./validate.sh"
---

Migration from Memory MCP

If you were using Memory MCP (mcp__memory__* tools):

Before (Memory MCP):

mcp__memory__create_entities: [...]
mcp__memory__search_nodes: "keyword"

After (Native Memory):

# In subagent frontmatter
memory: project

Subagent can now:

• Read from .claude/agent-memory/<name>/MEMORY.md (auto-loaded)
• Write to any file in that directory
• Memory persists across sessions

The Memory MCP is still available but deprecated. Native subagent memory provides better integration with Claude Code's architecture.