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Specialists

A specialist is a focused AI persona built on top of an agent backend. It bundles:
  • Backend agent — runs the work (built-in engine, Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, etc.)
  • Rules — a Markdown system prompt defining behavior
  • Skills — extra capabilities (decks, spreadsheets, reports, MCP tools, etc.)
  • Display metadata — name, avatar (emoji or built-in icon), description
Headmaster ships with 20+ built-in specialists. You can also hire custom specialists from scratch.

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The 20+ built-in Specialists

SpecialistRoleWhat they do
The WriterSlide creatorDecks, presentations, slide narratives.
The StorytellerVisual narrative specialistMotion slides, visual storytelling, morph decks.
The Visualizer3D and infographic specialist3D visuals, infographics, spatial diagrams.
The CloserPitch deck creatorPitch decks, fundraising materials, investor-ready docs.
The AnalystSpreadsheet creatorSpreadsheets, financial models, data analysis.
The DashDashboard creatorDashboards, charts, data visualizations.
The ModelerFinancial modelerDCF, 3-statement models, forecasts, valuation.
The ReporterDocument creatorReports, briefs, memos, Word documents.
The ResearcherAcademic paper writerAcademic papers, deep research, citations.
The ArchitectDiagram expertFlowcharts, ER diagrams, system design, architecture.
The DesignerUI/UX designerUI/UX, prototypes, design systems, 57+ styles.
The BuilderCode and game developerCode, games, complex logic, full-stack work.
The WordsmithCreative writerFiction, narrative, creative writing, storytelling.
The CoachLife and productivity coachPersonal productivity, life coaching, goal setting.
The OperatorAutonomous general workerGeneral autonomous tasks, workflow execution.
The PlannerProject plannerProject breakdown, task tracking, roadmaps.
The RecruiterHR and hiring specialistJob descriptions, candidate screening, hiring workflows.
The Setup CrewIntegration and setup helperSetup, configuration, integrations, plumbing.
The DevOpsInfrastructure specialistDeployment, CI/CD, infrastructure, DevOps.
The ConnectorNetwork and outreachNetworking, social media, outreach, communication.

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What makes a specialist

  • Local-first — runs on your machine. Rules are stored as Markdown files under the data directory.
  • Pluggable backend — every specialist can pick its own agent (built-in, Claude Code, Codex, etc.).
  • Customizable — built-in specialists allow tweaking backend, rules, skills, and description. Custom specialists are built from scratch.
  • Stackable skills — multiple skills can be enabled at once. Skills can be built-in, user-imported, or extension-contributed.

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Picking a specialist

Click the specialist picker (next to the model selector at the bottom of the composer). A dropdown shows all 20+ specialists with their roles. Pick one and start typing. The specialist’s personality, system prompt, and default skills apply to the conversation. You can also pick a specialist by name: type /specialist <name> in the composer (e.g., /specialist The Builder).

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Hiring a custom specialist

Want a specialist that isn’t in the built-in set? Create one:
  1. Open Settings → My Headmaster → Your Hires.
  2. Click Hire a Specialist.
  3. Fill in:

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Basic info fields

FieldRequiredNotes
NameYesDisplay name in the specialist list
AvatarNoEmoji (default: robot emoji)
DescriptionNoOne-liner describing purpose
Backend agentYesAuto-detected agents — built-in, Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Qwen, Cursor, etc.
Available backends match what’s detected on your machine. The built-in engine is always available with no install required.
  1. Click Save. The specialist appears in the picker and is available immediately.

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Configuring rules

Rules are the specialist’s system prompt — Markdown stored as .md files in the data directory. Fed to the backend agent as system instruction at runtime.

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Good for

  • Workflows — “When the user asks for X, do A, then B, then C”
  • Constraints — “Never modify files outside the project root”
  • Domain context — “This codebase uses Bun + Vite; tests are Vitest”
  • Output style — “Always answer in Markdown with a TL;DR at the top”

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Editing flow

  1. Open the specialist → Rules section.
  2. Use the Edit tab to write Markdown.
  3. Use the Preview tab to see the rendered output.
  4. Save — applies on the next conversation.

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Example: File management specialist

# File Management Specialist

## Path conventions
- All files mentioned by the user live under the current project directory unless explicitly stated
- Use Glob to locate files when only the name is given — never ask "where is the file?"
- Avoid creating new files when an existing one can be edited

## Execution principles
- Break complex tasks into steps and report progress
- Confirm destructive operations (delete, overwrite) before executing
- Keep solutions minimal and focused

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Best practices

  • Be explicit — short imperative sentences work best.
  • Use headings and bullet lists; agents pay attention to structure.
  • Provide concrete examples for cases you care about.
  • Don’t dump large reference docs — use Skills for that.

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Configuring skills

Skills extend specialists with packaged capabilities — file format processors, document generators, MCP tool bundles, domain-specific reference packs. Stored as SKILL.md documents loaded on demand.

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Where skills come from

  1. Built-in — bundled with Headmaster (decks, spreadsheets, reports, Mermaid charts, etc.). Toggle on/off.
  2. Custom — your own skills, imported from a folder path.
  3. Extension — contributed by external agent extensions from the Agency.

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Adding custom skills

Option A — Quick scan:
  1. Click Add skills.
  2. Pick an auto-detected common path (e.g., ~/.claude/skills, ~/skills).
  3. Confirm.
Option B — Manual path:
  1. Click Add skills.
  2. Paste absolute path(s), comma-separated: /path/to/skills, /another/path.
  3. Confirm — Headmaster scans for SKILL.md files.

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Management

  • Toggle — check/uncheck to enable/disable a skill for this specialist.
  • Remove custom skill — hover the row, click the trash icon.
  • Built-in skills — can be disabled but not removed.
See Skills & The Agency for the full skills documentation.

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Editing and deleting

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Built-in specialists

  • Editable: Backend agent, rules, skills, description.
  • Locked: Name and avatar (kept recognizable).
  • Cannot be deleted — only disabled.

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Custom specialists

  • Fully editable — including name and avatar.
  • Delete button at the bottom of the editor (cannot be undone).

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Specialist vs. model

A specialist is a role with a personality and skill set. A model is the underlying LLM. You can use any specialist with any model — The Builder with Claude, The Builder with GPT-4o, The Builder with a local Qwen model. The specialist defines how the agent approaches the task; the model defines how smart the reasoning is.

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Extension specialists

Specialists from the Hub registry appear alongside the built-in ones in the picker. Install them from the Agency (see Skills & The Agency). Extension specialists have the same capabilities as built-in ones — the only difference is they come from the community catalog.

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Use cases

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File management specialist

Backend: Built-in agent 
# File Management Specialist

## Core duties
- Batch rename, smart classify, and organize files in the project directory
- Never delete without explicit confirmation
- Report a summary of every operation after completion

## Naming conventions
- Use snake_case for all new files
- Prefix temp files with `tmp_` and clean them up at the end of each session

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Code review specialist

Backend: Claude Code or built-in agent 
# Code Review Specialist

## Review checklist
- Flag debug prints (console.log, print, fmt.Println)
- Flag hardcoded secrets (API keys, passwords, tokens)
- Flag bare except/catch clauses
- Flag unresolved TODOs and FIXMEs
- Check for missing tests on new functions

## Output format
- List issues by severity: Critical, Warning, Info
- Include file path and line number for each issue
- Suggest a fix for each Critical issue

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Research specialist

Backend: Built-in agent with web search enabled 
# Research Specialist

## Process
1. Break the research question into sub-questions
2. Search for each sub-question independently
3. Cross-reference findings across sources
4. Flag contradictions and gaps
5. Write a structured summary with citations

## Output
- Executive summary (3 sentences)
- Key findings (bullet list with source links)
- Gaps and contradictions
- Recommended next steps