Coding Agent: Delegate to Codex/Claude Code
Learn how to delegate coding tasks to specialized agents that build features, review code, and refactor your projects, all triggered from your chat interface.
What You Will Get
After this walkthrough, you will be able to delegate coding tasks directly from your chat interface. Tell your agent to build a feature, refactor a module, or review a file, and it will spawn a specialized coding sub-agent that works on the task and returns the results.
This is like having a junior developer on call around the clock. You describe what you need in plain language, and the agent handles the implementation details: reading the existing codebase, writing new code, running linters, and presenting the output for your review.
The coding agent supports multiple backends including Codex and Claude Code. You choose which one fits your workflow, configure the execution environment, and start delegating. The results come back as code diffs, file changes, or complete pull requests depending on your preference.
How to Set It Up
Get coding delegation working in your workflow
Install the Coding Agent Skill
Open your agent's Skills section and install the coding-agent skill. This skill provides the delegation framework that lets your agent spawn sub-agents for coding tasks. It handles context passing, output formatting, and error recovery.
Choose Your Coding Backend
In the skill configuration, select your preferred coding backend. Codex is optimized for repository-aware tasks with strong context handling. Claude Code excels at complex reasoning and multi-file refactors. You can configure both and let the agent choose based on task complexity, or pin a specific backend for consistency.
Connect Your Repository
Link the repositories the coding agent should have access to. Go to Connections, ensure GitHub is connected, and specify which repos the coding agent can read and write. The agent needs repository context to produce accurate code that matches your existing patterns and conventions.
Set Execution Parameters
Configure how the coding agent runs. Set the maximum execution time, memory limits, and whether it should run in sandbox mode. Sandbox mode is recommended for initial setup as it prevents the agent from making changes outside the specified scope. You can also set the output format: inline diff, new branch, or direct PR.
Define Task Templates
Create templates for common coding tasks. For example, a feature-build template might include instructions to create tests alongside the implementation. A refactor template might specify that the agent should preserve all existing tests. Templates speed up delegation and ensure consistent quality.
Run Your First Delegation
Send a message to your agent like: Build a utility function that validates email addresses and returns a structured result with the valid flag and any error messages. Watch the agent spawn the coding sub-agent, process the task, and return the implementation. Review the output for correctness and style.
Iterate on Complex Tasks
For larger tasks, use iterative delegation. Start with a high-level task, review the output, then send follow-up instructions to refine or extend the implementation. The coding agent retains context from previous iterations within a session, so you can progressively build up complex features.
Tips and Best Practices
Provide Context in Your Prompts
Reference specific files, functions, or patterns when delegating. Instead of saying build a login form, say build a login form following the pattern in src/components/SignupForm.tsx. Specific references produce dramatically better results.
Break Large Tasks into Smaller Pieces
Instead of asking the agent to build an entire feature at once, break it into components. Implement the data model first, then the API endpoint, then the frontend component. Each smaller task produces higher quality output.
Use Review Mode for Learning
Ask the agent to review existing code before writing new code. This helps you understand the agent's grasp of your codebase and calibrate your expectations for implementation tasks.
Save Successful Patterns
When a delegation produces excellent results, save the prompt as a template. Building a library of effective prompts accelerates future work and helps onboard new team members to the delegation workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
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