{"version":"2.1.315","anchor":"claude-code-subagent-effort-sets-a-default-effort-for-subage","canonical_anchor":"claude-code-subagent-effort-sets-a-default-effort-for-subage","heading":"New CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_EFFORT sets a default effort for subagents","tier":"use","area":"Subagents","scope":"individual","heads_up":false,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.315\/e\/claude-code-subagent-effort-sets-a-default-effort-for-subage","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.315","markdown":"### New `CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_EFFORT` sets a default effort for subagents\n\nSet `CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_EFFORT` to give subagents and workflow agents an effort level when their own definition does not set one\n\n**Unclear.** Which effort levels the variable accepts, other than `inherit`, is not stated.\n\n**What**\n\nSubagents are helper agents Claude starts to handle part of a task. Effort is how much reasoning the model puts into its work. Before, a subagent took the session's effort unless its own definition set one.\n\nThe new environment variable `CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_EFFORT` changes that:\n\n- When an agent definition has no effort of its own, the level set in the variable is used.\n\n- The value `inherit` is accepted.\n\n- Any other value Claude Code does not recognise is recorded as an unknown level.\n\nThe documentation for Workflow scripts now says `opts.effort` defaults to the configured subagent default when this is set, instead of the session's effort. The variable can also be set through the environment section of Claude Code's settings, like `CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL_FORCE`.\n\n**Why**\n\nOne variable can now limit how much reasoning, and so how much cost, all your subagents use.\n\n- Area: Subagents\n- Names: `CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_EFFORT`\n- Tier: Use it now\n- Useful: 5\/5\n- Signal: 2\/5\n- Scope: individual\n- Heads-up: no"}