The built-in computerUse subagent cannot spawn additional subagents; the Task tool is explicitly filtered out. Custom subagents inherit all tools from the parent by default, including the Task tool, so they can spawn other subagents.
and if i understand correctly that means subagents can spawn other subagents?
I just tried asking Grok Code Fast to call a Grok Code Fast subagent which would call a Grok Code Fast sub-subagent, but the subagent didnβt call the sub-subagent.
Subagents, today, are discovered only at the workspace root - specifically <workspaceRoot>/.cursor/agents
This only for the IDE right ? so that have the IDE detect any subagents definition, i need to open that folder as the root folder in the ide?
Subagents should be supported in the Cursor CLI as of last Fridayβs release. Make sure youβre running 2026.01.23-916f423
I am running that version but i still cant detect my subagents def.
i open agent in ~/MyCompany/projecte.g:
[aamaralb@AAMARALB-M-D6P9 ~/MyCompany/project]$ agent
Cursor Agent v2026.01.23-916f423
~/MyCompany/project
(cwd is not a git repository, cursor rules and ignore files don't apply)
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β invoke the developer agent with prompt "write me a simple number guessing game in python" β
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
I don't have a tool available to invoke a "developer agent" directly. However, I can help you create a simple number guessing game in Python right now.
Let me create this for you.
@aamaralb What I think is going on is that you are on a request-based plan, and right now it requires having Max mode enabled to use subagents. That will change very soon (weβre rolling out some changes).
Thanks i thought about that because i also had to turn it on in the IDE as per docs, but no success
[aamaralb@AAMARALB-M-D6P9 ~/MyCompany/project]$ agent
Cursor Agent v2026.01.23-916f423
~/MyCompany/project
(cwd is not a git repository, cursor rules and ignore files don't apply)
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β invoke the developer agent with prompt "write me a simple number guessing game in python" β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
I don't have a tool to invoke a "developer agent" directly. However, I can help you create a simple number guessing game in Python myself.
Let me create that for you.
β¬’ Listed . 3 files, 2 directories
I see there's already a number_guessing_game.py file and what appears to be agent configurations. Let me check the existing file and the developer agent definition.
⬑ Reading 2 files
Reading number_guessing_game.py
Reading .cursor/agents/developer.md
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β β Add a follow-up β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Claude 4.5 Opus Β· MAX Β· 16.5%
/ commands Β· @ files Β· ! shell
@Colin I found in documentation that there should be 3 built-in subagents (Explore, Bash and Browser - Subagents | Cursor Docs), but when I tried to call them like, only Task subagent (one or multiple in parallel) are executed, could you please explain which pre-built subagents exist now and how to call them properly?
@Colin Thank you for your response!
Could you please provide example to see that they triggered, and how to check it?
I see that all explore, bash and browser tasks are using the sessionβs context and it is not triggered at all, and I am asking to use separate subagent for such tasks to keep my parent context clean. So it would be great if you can clarify this behavior for built-in subagents and be sure that our custom agents will not conflict with non-visible built-in subagents invocation.
@Able1991 I have same experience. I even attached subagentStart/End hooks and they donβt get triggered.
Did you figure it out or post on the bug reports?
How should sub-agents in Cursor be used when parallel edits might overlap, especially during large refactors? For example, if refactoring a parent module and its submodules and related tests, sub-agents will often need to update the parentβs signatures. How do we prevent conflicts if multiple sub-agents attempt to edit the same parent file simultaneously during such heavy-handed changes?