Claude Code as a Sub-Agent

Claude Code is Anthropic's terminal coding agent. Its headless mode, claude -p (a.k.a. --print), makes it a disposable sub-agent: you write the metaprompt, Claude explores/edits/runs commands on its own, and returns a final message you capture and verify. You stay the planner; Claude is the executor — it's a strong long-context planner, so this is useful for reviews, big-picture design, and cross-cutting refactors.

Golden rule: Claude's self-report is a claim, not the truth. Capture its output, then independently verify the artifacts yourself (read the files, re-run the tests) before treating the task as done.

Verified locally: claude 2.1.167. Confirm install with claude --version.

The core command