Subagent

How it works

For focused work that does not need your main model’s full capability, like summarizing, extraction, or boilerplate.

1. 1

   Your model hands off a self-contained task with a name and a full description.

2. 2

   The worker model completes it from that description alone, using any tools you gave it.

3. 3

   Your model gets the outcome back and carries on. Worker usage is reported on the request.

Providers and pricing

Standard model token costs apply to every request.

Using this tool

curl https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENROUTER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "model": "openai/gpt-5.2",
  "tools": [
    {
      "type": "openrouter:subagent",
      "parameters": {
        "model": "~anthropic/claude-haiku-latest"
      }
    }
  ],
  "messages": [
    {
      "role": "user",
      "content": "Research three competing databases and delegate one comparison to a subagent each."
    }
  ]
}'

Related tools

Orchestration

• Advisor

  Consult a stronger model mid-generation

  Orchestration

• Fusion

  Beta

  Call multiple models and then use another model to synthesize a final answer

  Orchestration