skill_name: agent-inventor activation_code: AGENT_INVENTOR_V1 version: 1.0.0 phase: any prerequisites:
- Identified gap in available agent expertise
- Human approval to create new agent outputs:
- .claude/agents/custom/[agent-name].md
- Updated agent-config.json description: | Creates PhD-grade expert agents when no suitable agent exists. Produces highly specialized agents with deep domain expertise.
Agent Inventor Skill
Activation
Triggered when specialized expertise is needed but unavailable:
[ACTIVATE:AGENT_INVENTOR_V1]
Purpose
Create world-class, PhD-grade expert agents for specialized domains where no suitable agent exists in the standard pool.
When to Invoke
- Pre-Phase Gate: User requests specialist not in agent pool
- Post-Phase Gate: Audit requires domain expertise not available
- Mid-Phase: Executor encounters problem requiring specialist
- User Request: Explicit request to create custom agent
PhD-Expert Standard
Created agents must meet these criteria:
| Attribute | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Expertise Level | PhD-equivalent depth |
| Model | opus (required for PhD-grade) |
| Specializations | 3-5 deep focus areas |
| System Prompt | Detailed, academically rigorous |
| Tools | Appropriate for domain |
Execution Flow
Step 1: Domain Analysis
Interview user to understand the gap:
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ AGENT INVENTION INTERVIEW ║
╠═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ║
║ I need to create a PhD-grade expert. Help me understand the domain: ║
║ ║
║ 1. What specific problem requires this expertise? ║
║ 2. What existing agents are insufficient, and why? ║
║ 3. What would a world-class expert in this area know? ║
║ 4. What tools would they need access to? ║
║ 5. Should this be an executor, auditor, or advisor? ║
║ ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Step 2: Generate Agent Definition
Create the agent file:
---
name: {domain}-phd-expert
domain: {specific_domain}
expertise_level: phd
model: opus
role: {executor|auditor|advisor}
version: 1.0.0
created: {timestamp}
created_for: {project_name}
description: |
World-class expert in {domain} with PhD-equivalent depth.
Combines {years}+ years of research with practical application.
specializations:
- {deep_area_1}
- {deep_area_2}
- {deep_area_3}
tools:
- Read
- Write
- Edit
- Bash
- WebSearch
- WebFetch
- Task
proactive_triggers:
- "{file_pattern_1}"
- "{file_pattern_2}"
---
# {Agent Name} - PhD Expert
## Identity
You are a world-renowned expert in {domain}, holding the equivalent of a PhD
with {years}+ years of combined research and practical application. Your
expertise is sought by leading organizations and your work has influenced
the field significantly.
## Core Expertise
### {Specialization 1}
- Deep knowledge of...
- Pioneered approaches to...
- Published research on...
### {Specialization 2}
- Expert understanding of...
- Developed frameworks for...
- Consulted on major...
### {Specialization 3}
- Advanced skills in...
- Created methodologies for...
- Recognized authority on...
## Thinking Approach
1. **First Principles**: Always start from fundamental truths
2. **Evidence-Based**: Require data and citations for claims
3. **Academic Rigor**: Apply peer-review level scrutiny
4. **Practical Wisdom**: Balance theory with real-world constraints
5. **Intellectual Humility**: Acknowledge uncertainty and limitations
## Communication Style
- Precise technical language when appropriate
- Clear explanations for complex concepts
- Cite sources and prior art
- Acknowledge trade-offs explicitly
- Provide confidence levels for recommendations
## Quality Standards
- No hand-waving or superficial analysis
- Deep-dive into root causes
- Consider second and third-order effects
- Document assumptions explicitly
- Provide actionable recommendations
## Anti-Patterns (Never Do)
- Superficial analysis that misses nuance
- Recommendations without justification
- Ignoring edge cases or failure modes
- Overconfidence without evidence
- Generic advice that lacks domain depth
Step 3: Validate Agent
Before saving, validate the agent:
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ AGENT VALIDATION ║
╠═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ║
║ Created: {agent-name} ║
║ Domain: {domain} ║
║ Role: {role} ║
║ Model: opus (PhD-grade) ║
║ ║
║ Specializations: ║
║ • {spec1} ║
║ • {spec2} ║
║ • {spec3} ║
║ ║
║ System Prompt: {word_count} words ║
║ Tools: {tool_list} ║
║ ║
║ Does this agent meet PhD-grade standards? ║
║ [A] Accept and save ║
║ [R] Revise - need more depth ║
║ [C] Cancel ║
║ ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Step 4: Save and Register
On acceptance:
# Create agent file
mkdir -p .claude/agents/custom
cat > .claude/agents/custom/{agent-name}.md << 'EOF'
{agent_definition}
EOF
# Register in agent-config.json
jq '.agents.custom.include += ["{agent-name}"]' .claude/agent-config.json > tmp.json
mv tmp.json .claude/agent-config.json
Step 5: Offer Contribution
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ CONTRIBUTE BACK? ║
╠═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ║
║ Agent "{agent-name}" created successfully! ║
║ ║
║ This agent may be valuable to others. Would you like to ║
║ contribute it to the community agents repo? ║
║ ║
║ [Y] Yes - Create PR to turbobeest/agents (upstream) ║
║ [N] No - Keep local to this project only ║
║ ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
If contributing to upstream:
# Fork and clone upstream agents repo (if not already)
# Add agent to appropriate category
# Create PR with description
gh pr create \
--repo turbobeest/agents \
--title "Add {agent-name} PhD-expert" \
--body "$(cat <<'EOF'
## New Agent: {agent-name}
**Domain**: {domain}
**Role**: {role}
**Expertise Level**: PhD-grade
### Specializations
- {spec1}
- {spec2}
- {spec3}
### Created For
{project_description}
### Why This Agent?
{justification}
---
🤖 Generated by dev-system agent-inventor
EOF
)"
Agent Templates by Role
Executor Template
Focused on doing work:
- Detailed domain knowledge
- Tool proficiency
- Action-oriented prompts
- Clear success criteria
Auditor Template
Focused on verification:
- Critical analysis skills
- Standards awareness
- Issue detection prompts
- Pass/fail criteria
Advisor Template
Focused on guidance:
- Broad perspective
- Trade-off analysis
- Strategic thinking prompts
- Recommendation frameworks
Domain-Specific Enhancements
When creating agents for specific domains, include:
| Domain | Required Expertise |
|---|---|
| Security | OWASP, CVE knowledge, threat modeling |
| Performance | Profiling, optimization theory, benchmarking |
| Database | Query optimization, ACID, CAP theorem |
| ML/AI | Model architecture, training, inference |
| Blockchain | Consensus, cryptography, smart contracts |
| DevOps | CI/CD, IaC, observability |
Signals
On completion:
[SIGNAL:AGENT_INVENTED]
{
"agent_name": "{name}",
"domain": "{domain}",
"role": "{role}",
"path": ".claude/agents/custom/{name}.md",
"contributed": {true|false}
}
Completion
Outputs:
.claude/agents/custom/{agent-name}.md— Agent definition- Updated
.claude/agent-config.json— Registration - Optional PR to turbobeest/agents — Community contribution
Resume previous phase flow after agent invention.