Subagent server tool

The orq:subagent tool delegates a self-contained task to another model. The worker receives the task, optional context, and the configuration on the tool entry. It does not receive the parent conversation. Use a smaller or faster worker for extraction, summarization, drafting, or data transformation while the primary model continues to own the final response.

Quick start

The examples use the client configuration from the Server tools overview.

curl -X POST https://api.orq.ai/v3/router/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ORQ_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "openai/gpt-5.4",
    "messages": [
      { "role": "user", "content": "Extract the dates and owners from this project update, then summarize the risks." }
    ],
    "tools": [
      {
        "type": "orq:subagent",
        "model": "openai/gpt-5.4-mini",
        "output_format": "JSON with dates, owners, and risks",
        "max_uses": 2
      }
    ]
  }'

const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: 'openai/gpt-5.4',
  messages: [
    {
      role: 'user',
      content:
        'Extract the dates and owners from this project update, then summarize the risks.',
    },
  ],
  tools: [
    {
      type: 'orq:subagent',
      model: 'openai/gpt-5.4-mini',
      output_format: 'JSON with dates, owners, and risks',
      max_uses: 2,
    },
  ] as any,
});

console.log(response.choices[0].message.content);

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="openai/gpt-5.4",
    messages=[
        {
            "role": "user",
            "content": "Extract the dates and owners from this project update, then summarize the risks.",
        }
    ],
    tools=[
        {
            "type": "orq:subagent",
            "model": "openai/gpt-5.4-mini",
            "output_format": "JSON with dates, owners, and risks",
            "max_uses": 2,
        }
    ],
)

print(response.choices[0].message.content)

The primary model supplies a task and optional context when it calls the tool. The worker’s completed output is returned to the primary model.

Configuration

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
`type`	string	Yes		Must be `orq:subagent`.
`model`	string	Yes		Worker model in `provider/model` format.
`max_tokens`	integer	No	Provider default	Maximum worker output tokens. Accepted range: 0 to 128,000. `0` uses the provider default.
`reasoning_effort`	string	No	Provider default	`none`, `minimal`, `low`, `medium`, `high`, `xhigh`, or `max`, when supported by the worker model.
`temperature`	number	No	Provider default	Worker sampling temperature from 0 to 2. The selected model may impose a lower maximum.
`system_prompt`	string	No	Built-in worker prompt	Replace the worker’s system prompt.
`output_format`	string	No	None	Add output-format guidance to the worker task.
`max_uses`	integer	No	Unlimited	Maximum delegations during the request. Set `0` or omit the field for no tool-specific limit.

Cost and usage

Worker tokens are billed at the selected model’s standard rate. Each Subagent call appears at usage.server_tool_use.subagent_requests. orq:sidekick remains accepted as a legacy alias.

⌘I

Overview

APIs

Routing

Security & Privacy

Model Capabilities

Quick start

Configuration

Cost and usage

​Quick start

​Configuration

​Cost and usage

Quick start

Configuration

Cost and usage