designing-workflow-skills

Design multi-step workflows for Claude Code skills by structuring execution into phases with entry and exit criteria, using progressive disclosure to manage context, and delegating tasks to subagents for reliable execution.

The best workflow pattern depends on task structure: choose from Routing, Sequential Pipeline, Linear Progression, Safety Gate, or Task-Driven patterns based on whether your Claude Code skill requires branching logic, ordered execution, or validation checks.

Use subagent delegation in Claude Code skill design when workflows require structured execution across multiple domains, allowing the main agent to route specialized tasks to subagents while maintaining phased entry and exit criteria.

Add safety gates to Claude Code security workflows by applying the Safety Gate pattern, which inserts validation checkpoints with defined entry and exit criteria into the execution pipeline to ensure reliable, structured task completion.

Common anti-patterns when building Claude Code skill workflows include missing entry and exit criteria for phases, improper subagent delegation, and failing to apply progressive disclosure, all of which reduce execution reliability.

Yes, creating structured workflows in Claude Code requires basic programming skills and knowledge of the Claude Code platform to properly implement decision trees, subagent delegation, and phased execution logic.