Can I limit the tools an agent has access to?

Yes, you can use the 'tools' frontmatter field to define an array of allowed tools (e.g., ['Read', 'Grep']), ensuring the agent operates within a restricted, secure environment.

How do I trigger an agent in Claude Code?

Agents are triggered via the 'description' field in their markdown file. By providing specific usage examples and commentary, you help Claude recognize the exact context where the agent should be invoked.

Which model should my Claude Code agent use?

While you can specify Sonnet, Opus, or Haiku, the recommended practice is to use 'inherit' so the agent uses the same model as the parent session unless specific capabilities are required.

What is a Claude Code Agent?

An agent is an autonomous subprocess within a Claude Code plugin designed to handle complex, multi-step tasks independently using a specialized system prompt and restricted toolset.

Agent Development for Claude Code

Name: Agent Development for Claude Code
Author: Alongside-cc

byAlongside-cc

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Developer Tools

Provides a comprehensive framework and best practices for building, configuring, and optimizing autonomous sub-agents within Claude Code plugins.

This skill acts as a master guide for developers creating specialized agents to extend Claude Code's capabilities. It provides a standardized architecture for agent files, covering essential YAML frontmatter fields like name, model selection, and color-coding for UI identification. By focusing on robust triggering conditions through detailed examples and structured system prompt design, this skill enables the creation of autonomous subprocesses that can handle complex, multi-step tasks such as code reviews, security audits, or automated testing with high reliability and specific tool constraints.

Key Features

01Standardized agent file structure with YAML frontmatter configuration

021 GitHub stars

03Precise triggering logic using intent-based examples and commentary

04Structured system prompt templates for consistent agent behavior

05Granular tool access control based on the principle of least privilege

06Configurable model selection including inherit, sonnet, opus, and haiku

Use Cases

01Implementing proactive agents that trigger automatically based on specific user requests or context

02Building specialized sub-agents for domain-specific tasks like code auditing or documentation generation

03Configuring read-only analysis agents to ensure secure code exploration without accidental modifications

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add alongside-cc/5-years-teaching-azure-claude-code agent-development

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill