Deep Dive

Investigate: $ARGUMENTS

Agent Strategy

Every deep dive uses two core agents in parallel, plus optional specialists based on the query.

Core Agents (always spawn)

Agent	Role	Strategy
Scout	Breadth-first explorer	Maps file structure, identifies hot spots, builds topology
Tracer	Depth-first investigator	Picks entry points, follows call chains deep into the stack

Optional Agents (spawn when relevant)

Agent	When to spawn	Strategy
Archaeologist	Query involves "why", history, or decisions	Digs through git blame/log for intent behind code
Boundary Mapper	Query involves integrations, APIs, or "what connects to"	Maps module boundaries, API surfaces, integration seams

References: breadth-first-agent, depth-first-agent, context-archaeologist, boundary-mapper

Decision: Which Agents to Spawn

Read the user's query and decide:

1. Always spawn Scout + Tracer (2 agents minimum)
2. Add Archaeologist if the query asks why something exists, when it changed, or what motivated a design
3. Add Boundary Mapper if the query asks about connections, integration points, API surfaces, or module interactions
4. Maximum 4 agents — never more

Execution

1. Analyze the Query

Before spawning agents, identify:

• Target area: What part of the codebase to explore
• Depth level: Quick overview vs. deep investigation
• Query type: "How does X work?" vs. "Why is X like this?" vs. "What connects to X?"

2. Spawn Agents in Parallel

Use Task tool with subagent_type=Explore for each agent. Give each agent:

• The user's query for context
• Their specific investigation strategy (from reference files)
• Concrete starting points if you can infer them from the query

3. Synthesize

After all agents return, combine their findings using the Investigation Summarizer approach.

References: investigation-summarizer, output-format

Output

Present findings in the layered format — TL;DR first, then progressively detailed sections. The user should get the gist from the first 3 sentences and can read deeper as needed.

References: output-format

Anti-Patterns

• Don't spawn 4 agents for a simple "where is X defined?" question — use Grep directly
• Don't let agents read the same files — Scout maps topology, Tracer goes deep; they cover different ground
• Don't skip the synthesis step — raw agent outputs are disjointed; the summary is the value
• Don't present findings without file:line references — every claim needs a source