cavecrew Skill for Claude: When to Use Caveman Subagents

cavecrew tells Claude when to hand work to three caveman subagents that return short results, so your main context lasts longer.

Installs: 366.1K; on skills.sh
Stars: 116.7K; on GitHub
Files: 1; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Nov 2026; last repo commit

cavecrew is a decision guide, not a slash command. It tells Claude when to delegate to cavecrew-investigator (find code), cavecrew-builder (edit one or two files) or cavecrew-reviewer (review a diff) instead of working inline or using the built-in Explore agent. Their answers come back compressed, as path:line tables and one-line findings.

The skill only describes when to use the subagents. The subagents themselves come with the caveman package, so install the plugin, not just this folder. It triggers on phrases like "delegate to subagent", "use cavecrew" and "save context".

Good for

Claude Code users who run many subagent calls and fill their context
Developers who want find, fix and review steps with short, structured output
People who already use caveman and want it in subagents

Install cavecrew

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the cavecrew skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

/plugin marketplace add JuliusBrussee/caveman
/plugin install caveman@caveman

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Pick the plugin. The cavecrew skill describes three subagents (cavecrew-investigator, cavecrew-builder, cavecrew-reviewer), and the caveman README lists cavecrew as part of the package. This folder holds only the guide (SKILL.md and a README).

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

When to delegate to `cavecrew-investigator` (locate code), `cavecrew-builder` (1-2 file edit) or `cavecrew-reviewer` (diff review) instead of working inline or using `Explore`. Their output is compressed, so main context lasts longer.

Sections in SKILL.md

When to use cavecrew vs alternatives
Why this exists (the real win)
Output contracts
Chaining patterns
What NOT to do
Auto-clarity (inherited)

Key facts

Author: JuliusBrussee (repo owner)
License: Apache-2.0
Installs on skills.sh: 366,093 as of 2026-11-02
GitHub stars: 116,702 for the whole juliusbrussee/caveman repo
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk pass
What is inside: 2 files: SKILL.md and README.md; the three subagents come from the caveman package
Needs: Claude Code with the caveman plugin, which provides the cavecrew-investigator, -builder and -reviewer subagents
Last commit to the repo: 2026-11-01

What it includes

Finds where code is defined or used; read-only
Answers "where is X defined" or "what calls Y" as a path:line table, or "No match."
Try: “Use cavecrew to find every caller of parseConfig.”
Read · cavecrew-investigator
Makes a surgical edit in 1 to 2 files
Returns the changed lines and a verified: line. It answers too-big, needs-confirm, ambiguous or regressed when it should not proceed.
Write · cavecrew-builder
Reviews a diff, branch or file for bugs
Returns one line per finding sorted by file and line, then totals by severity, or "No issues."
Read · cavecrew-reviewer
Table of tasks and the right agent
Prose commentary: use vanilla Explore or Code Reviewer. A 3+ file refactor: main thread. A one-line answer you know: no subagent.
Read · When to use which
Locate, fix, verify; parallel scouts; single-shot edit
Investigator finds sites, builder edits 1 to 2 of them, reviewer audits the diff. Broad searches spawn 2 to 3 investigators at once.
Read · Chaining patterns
Do not use the builder when you do not know the file
Warns against chaining investigator to builder for a 5-file refactor, and against asking the reviewer for general feedback.
Read · What not to do

From the official docs

Permissions

Low risk

The skill is only a guide, but one of the subagents it points to, the builder, edits files. Check its changes with the reviewer agent or git diff.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

The builder subagent edits your files
It is limited to 1 to 2 files and verifies by re-reading, but you should still read the diff.
Compressed output can be cryptic
SKILL.md warns the results can be terse to the point of cryptic. If a human will read them, ask Claude to paraphrase.

Technical details

Scopes	Guides Claude to spawn subagents cavecrew-builder can edit up to 2 files

Questions

What does the cavecrew skill do?

It tells Claude when to delegate to three caveman subagents, one that finds code, one that makes small edits and one that reviews diffs. Their results come back short, which saves main-context tokens.

How do I install cavecrew?

Use the install box at the top of this page and pick the caveman plugin. The skill is a guide to the subagents, and the caveman package is what provides them.

Is cavecrew a slash command?

No. The bundled README says it is a decision guide that activates when the conversation mentions delegation, for example "use cavecrew" or "spawn investigator".

Which model do the subagents use?

Per the bundled README, cavecrew-reviewer and cavecrew-investigator pin model: haiku in their settings, and cavecrew-builder uses your session default. The README says you can override each with environment variables.

Can the builder agent change my files?

Yes, up to two files. SKILL.md says it makes surgical edits, refuses bigger scopes and re-reads its edit to verify. Review the diff, or run cavecrew-reviewer on it.

cavecrew vs Claude's built-in Explore agent?

Explore returns prose and suggestions. cavecrew-investigator returns a compact path:line table. SKILL.md says to use Explore when you want commentary and cavecrew when you want output in about a third of the tokens.

Is cavecrew safe?

The skill file is instructions only, but the builder subagent edits files. On skills.sh the audits read Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass and Snyk pass. Review what the builder changes.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: juliusbrussee/caveman
Folder: skills/cavecrew

juliusbrussee/caveman skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 4

caveman README · github.com
cavecrew README · github.com
cavecrew SKILL.md · github.com
skills.sh listing and audits · skills.sh