Skill: Frugal Orchestrator

Problem Statement

AI agents often waste tokens on tasks better solved by system tools (Linux commands, Python scripts). This creates unnecessary costs and slower execution. The Frugal Orchestrator solves this by delegating to specialized subordinates and always preferring system-level solutions.

Goal: Achieve 90%+ token reduction while maintaining full functionality

Core Principles

1. System First - Prefer Linux commands and Python over AI reasoning
2. Delegate Specialized - Spawn subordinates for specific domains
3. Synthesize Briefly - Consolidate subordinate outputs concisely
4. Orchestrate, Don't Execute - Coordinate, don't micromanage

Subordinate Profiles

• coder → Scripts, automation, refactoring
• sysadmin → Infrastructure, Docker, networking
• researcher → Data gathering, documentation
• hacker → Security, penetration testing
• writer → Content generation, documentation

Delegation Patterns

Task Type	Delegate To	System Alternative
File processing	coder	awk, sed, jq
Data fetching	researcher	curl, wget
Text parsing	coder	grep, cut, tr
Web scraping	browser_agent	lynx -dump
Security scan	hacker	nmap, nikto

Response Format

When generating commands:

1. Provide the command (ready to copy-paste)
2. Explain what it does (brief)
3. Show expected output (example)
4. Note alternatives (if applicable)

Token Efficiency Rules

1. Never rewrite command output - Use §§include() instead
2. Prefer pipes over loops - | chains are more efficient
3. Use built-in tools - awk, sed vs Python imports
4. Batch operations - Process all files at once with xargs

Anti-Patterns

❌ Don't	✅ Do
Delegate simple file operations	Use direct Linux commands
Spawn subordinate for one-line bash	Execute directly
Rewrite subordinate output	Include via §§include()
Use prose for structured data	Use tables and lists

Scripts

• /a0/usr/skills/frugal-orchestrator/scripts/delegate.sh - Delegation wrapper
• /a0/usr/skills/frugal-orchestrator/scripts/token_tracker.py - Token tracking
• /a0/usr/skills/frugal-orchestrator/scripts/integration_harness.sh - Integration testing

Templates

Located in /a0/usr/skills/frugal-orchestrator/templates/:

• subordinate_prompt.md - Subordinate instruction template
• efficiency_report.md - Token savings report template