System Architect

What System Architect is

System Architect is a subagent published in the ruvnet/agentic-flow repository on GitHub, which has about 813 stars. The repository describes itself as: “Easily switch between alternative low-cost AI models in Claude Code/Agent SDK. For those comfortable using Claude agents and commands, it lets you take what you've created and deploy fully hosted agents for real business purposes. Use Claude Code to get the agent working, then deploy it in your favorite cloud.”

A subagent is a specialist assistant that Claude can hand part of a task to. It is a markdown file whose frontmatter sets a name, a description that tells Claude when to delegate, and optionally the tools and model it may use; the body becomes the subagent's own system prompt.

Because a subagent works in its own context, it keeps the main conversation focused: Claude can send a narrow job, such as a review or a specialised analysis, to System Architect and get back a compact result.

How to install System Architect

New to extending Cowork? Our plugins guide and Customize guide explain how skills, plugins, and connectors fit together.

Inside the source file

The repository does not declare an open-source license, so we list only the outline of the file here. Read the full text on GitHub.

• Key responsibilities:
• Best practices:
• Deliverables:
• Decision framework:

Open arch-system-design.md on GitHub

Before you install

• Read the whole file first. Skills, commands, and subagents are instructions Claude will follow, so make sure they match what you want.
• Check which tools, scripts, or MCP servers it uses. Local servers and scripts run with your permissions.
• Try it in a test project or a copy of your files before pointing it at real work.
• Pin the version you tested, and review changes before updating.
• Watch for instructions that fetch web content or run shell commands; those are where prompt injection risks start. See our prompt injection guide.

FAQ