Ability to restrict Subagents use to Specific Primary Agents only #2693

Activity

1. rekram1-node

   self-assigned this

   on Sep 19, 2025
2. rekram1-node commented on Sep 19, 2025

   

   rekram1-node

   on Sep 19, 2025

   Contributor

   More actions

   Definitely makes sense @malhashemi!

   We have been planning to merge our concepts of tools + permissions and we should support this as part of that change
3. malhashemi commented on Sep 19, 2025

   

   malhashemi

   on Sep 19, 2025

   Last edited by malhashemi

   ContributorAuthor

   More actions

   I was quickly imagining how it should work, let me know what you think here imagine the below getting added to agents.mdx as the end result of that PR. I quickly vibe coded those requirements but honestly drowning at the moment to do deep testing let me know if you suggest that I make a PR with these requirements so you can review. Or I just drop my changes.

   ---

   Subagents access

   You can globally disable all subagents and selectively enable them per primary agent. This reduces token usage and decision overhead when most subagents are irrelevant for a workflow.

   Global control uses the top-level subagents map. Per-agent overrides use agent.<name>.subagents.

   If you do nothing, current behavior is unchanged: all subagents are available.

   {
     "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
     "subagents": { "*": false }
   }

   Enable one subagent back for a specific primary agent:

   {
     "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
     "subagents": { "*": false },
     "agent": {
       "build": {
         "subagents": { "general": true }
       }
     }
   }

   Use wildcards to enable a group:

   {
     "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
     "subagents": { "*": false },
     "agent": {
       "plan": { "subagents": { "doc-*": true } },
       "build": { "subagents": { "doc-*": true, "git-committer": true } }
     }
   }

   Enable everything except one:

   {
     "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
     "subagents": { "*": false },
     "agent": {
       "build": { "subagents": { "*": true, "git-committer": false } }
     }
   }

   Refine globally enabled patterns per agent:

   {
     "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
     "subagents": { "*": false, "general": true, "git-*": true },
     "agent": {
       "plan": { "subagents": { "git-*": false } }
     }
   }

   Resolution rules:

   • Start allow = true unless "*": false is present globally (default deny mode)
   • Most specific matching pattern wins (longer literal prefix first; later definition on tie)
   • Per-agent overrides always applied after global

   If a subagent is disabled:

   • It won't appear in the Task tool list
   • @mention attempts return a short advisory message
4. rekram1-node commented on Sep 25, 2025

   

   rekram1-node

   on Sep 25, 2025

   Last edited by rekram1-node

   Contributor

   More actions

   This will be addressed as part of: #1961

   Should be addressed as part of the move to opentui since dax is working on this
5. rekram1-node

   closed this as completedon Sep 25, 2025
6. rekram1-node

   closed this as a duplicateof Unifying tools and permissions #1961 on Sep 25, 2025