custom-agent-definitionslisted
Install: claude install-skill laurigates/claude-plugins
# Custom Agent Definitions
Expert knowledge for defining and configuring custom agents in Claude Code.
For full worked YAML examples (isolated research agent, read-only explorer,
complete security auditor, plugin layout, common patterns), see
[REFERENCE.md](REFERENCE.md).
## When to Use This Skill
| Use this skill when... | Use agent-teams instead when... |
|---|---|
| Authoring a new `.md` agent definition file in `.claude/agents/` | Spawning multiple already-defined agents that coordinate as a team |
| Configuring a single agent's `model`, `allowed-tools`, or `context: fork` | Setting up a lead/teammate architecture with a shared task list |
| Constraining tool access for a specialised read-only or write-restricted agent | Sequencing parallel work across worktrees (see parallel-agent-dispatch) |
| Writing the system prompt that defines what one agent does | Auditing existing agent definitions for security (see meta-audit) |
## Core Concepts
**Custom agents** let you define specialized agent types beyond the built-in
ones (Explore, Plan, Bash, etc.). Each can have its own model, tools, and
context configuration. They are defined in `.claude/agents/` or via plugin
`agents/` directories, with YAML frontmatter + a markdown system prompt:
```yaml
---
name: my-custom-agent
description: What this agent does
model: sonnet
allowed-tools: Bash, Read, Grep, Glob
---
# Agent System Prompt
Instructions and context for the agent...
```
## Key Fields
### Context Forking
| Valu