# Parallel Execution

Patterns for parallel subagent execution using the Agent tool (formerly Task).

- Repository: https://github.com/CloudAI-X/claude-workflow-v2 (1421 stars)
- Category: AI and agents
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-06
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add CloudAI-X/claude-workflow-v2 --skill parallel-execution -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add CloudAI-X/claude-workflow-v2 --skill parallel-execution -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add CloudAI-X/claude-workflow-v2 --skill parallel-execution -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add CloudAI-X/claude-workflow-v2 --skill parallel-execution -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add CloudAI-X/claude-workflow-v2`

## Description

Patterns for parallel subagent execution using the Agent tool (formerly Task). Use when coordinating multiple independent tasks, spawning dynamic subagents, or implementing features that can be parallelized.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Parallel Execution Patterns

### When to Load

- **Trigger**: Multi-agent tasks, concurrent operations, spawning subagents, parallelizing independent work
- **Skip**: Single-step tasks or sequential workflows with no parallelization opportunity

## Core Concept

Parallel execution spawns multiple subagents simultaneously using the Agent tool (named `Task` before Claude Code 2.1.63; `Task` still works as an alias). Subagents run in the background by default, so N tasks run concurrently, dramatically reducing total execution time.

**Critical Rule**: ALL Agent calls MUST be in a SINGLE assistant message for true parallelism. If the calls are in separate messages, they launch one after another.

## Execution Protocol

### Step 1: Identify Parallelizable Tasks

Before spawning, verify tasks are independent:

- No task depends on another's output
- Tasks target different files or concerns
- Can run simultaneously without conflicts

### Step 2: Prepare Dynamic Subagent Prompts

Each subagent receives a custom prompt defining its role:

```
You are a [ROLE] specialist for this specific task.

Task: [CLEAR DESCRIPTION]

Context:
[RELEVANT CONTEXT ABOUT THE CODEBASE/PROJECT]

Files to work with:
[SPECIFIC FILES OR PATTERNS]

Output format:
[EXPECTED OUTPUT STRUCTURE]

Focus areas:
- [PRIORITY 1]
- [PRIORITY 2]
```

### Step 3: Launch All Tasks in ONE Message

**CRITICAL**: Make ALL Agent calls in the SAME assistant message:

```
I'm launching N parallel subagents:

[Agent 1]
description: "Subagent A - [brief purpose]"
prompt: "[detailed instructions for subagent A]"

[Agent 2]
description: "Subagent B - [brief purpose]"
prompt: "[detailed instructions for subagent B]"

[Agent 3]
description: "Subagent C - [brief purpose]"
prompt: "[detailed instructions for subagent C]"
```

On Claude Code versions that still run subagents in the foreground by default, add `run_in_background: true` to each call.

### Step 4: Collect Results

The rest: https://github.com/CloudAI-X/claude-workflow-v2/blob/HEAD/skills/parallel-execution/SKILL.md