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docs(delegate): clarify that the parent agent populates goal/context #13698

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teknium1 merged 1 commit into from
Apr 21, 2026
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docs(delegate): clarify that the parent agent populates goal/context #13698

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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion website/docs/guides/delegation-patterns.md
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Expand Up @@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ Restricting toolsets keeps the subagent focused and prevents accidental side eff
- **Default 3 parallel tasks** — batches default to 3 concurrent subagents (configurable via `delegation.max_concurrent_children` in config.yaml — no hard ceiling, only a floor of 1)
- **Nested delegation is opt-in** — leaf subagents (default) cannot call `delegate_task`, `clarify`, `memory`, `send_message`, or `execute_code`. Orchestrator subagents (`role="orchestrator"`) retain `delegate_task` for further delegation, but only when `delegation.max_spawn_depth` is raised above the default of 1 (1-3 supported); the other four remain blocked. Disable globally via `delegation.orchestrator_enabled: false`.
- **Separate terminals** — each subagent gets its own terminal session with separate working directory and state
- **No conversation history** — subagents see only what you put in `goal` and `context`
- **No conversation history** — subagents see only the `goal` and `context` the parent agent passes when calling `delegate_task`
- **Default 50 iterations** — set `max_iterations` lower for simple tasks to save cost

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4 changes: 2 additions & 2 deletions website/docs/user-guide/features/delegation.md
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Expand Up @@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ delegate_task(tasks=[
## How Subagent Context Works

:::warning Critical: Subagents Know Nothing
Subagents start with a **completely fresh conversation**. They have zero knowledge of the parent's conversation history, prior tool calls, or anything discussed before delegation. The subagent's only context comes from the `goal` and `context` fields you provide.
Subagents start with a **completely fresh conversation**. They have zero knowledge of the parent's conversation history, prior tool calls, or anything discussed before delegation. The subagent's only context comes from the `goal` and `context` fields the parent agent populates when it calls `delegate_task`.
:::

This means you must pass **everything** the subagent needs:
This means the parent agent must pass **everything** the subagent needs in the call:

```python
# BAD - subagent has no idea what "the error" is
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