> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gcaplabs.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Specialists > ## Output - Executive summary (3 sentences) - Key findings (bullet list with source links) - Gaps and contradictions - R # 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. *** ## The 20+ built-in Specialists | Specialist | Role | What they do | | --------------- | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | The Writer | Slide creator | Decks, presentations, slide narratives. | | The Storyteller | Visual narrative specialist | Motion slides, visual storytelling, morph decks. | | The Visualizer | 3D and infographic specialist | 3D visuals, infographics, spatial diagrams. | | The Closer | Pitch deck creator | Pitch decks, fundraising materials, investor-ready docs. | | The Analyst | Spreadsheet creator | Spreadsheets, financial models, data analysis. | | The Dash | Dashboard creator | Dashboards, charts, data visualizations. | | The Modeler | Financial modeler | DCF, 3-statement models, forecasts, valuation. | | The Reporter | Document creator | Reports, briefs, memos, Word documents. | | The Researcher | Academic paper writer | Academic papers, deep research, citations. | | The Architect | Diagram expert | Flowcharts, ER diagrams, system design, architecture. | | The Designer | UI/UX designer | UI/UX, prototypes, design systems, 57+ styles. | | The Builder | Code and game developer | Code, games, complex logic, full-stack work. | | The Wordsmith | Creative writer | Fiction, narrative, creative writing, storytelling. | | The Coach | Life and productivity coach | Personal productivity, life coaching, goal setting. | | The Operator | Autonomous general worker | General autonomous tasks, workflow execution. | | The Planner | Project planner | Project breakdown, task tracking, roadmaps. | | The Recruiter | HR and hiring specialist | Job descriptions, candidate screening, hiring workflows. | | The Setup Crew | Integration and setup helper | Setup, configuration, integrations, plumbing. | | The DevOps | Infrastructure specialist | Deployment, CI/CD, infrastructure, DevOps. | | The Connector | Network and outreach | Networking, social media, outreach, communication. | *** ## 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. *** ## 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 ` in the composer (e.g., `/specialist The Builder`). *** ## 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: ### Basic info fields | Field | Required | Notes | | ----------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Name** | Yes | Display name in the specialist list | | **Avatar** | No | Emoji (default: robot emoji) | | **Description** | No | One-liner describing purpose | | **Backend agent** | Yes | Auto-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. 4. Click **Save**. The specialist appears in the picker and is available immediately. *** ## 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. ### 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" ### 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. ### Example: File management specialist ```markdown theme={null} # 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 ``` ### 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. *** ## 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. ### 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. ### 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. ### 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](skills-the-agency.md) for the full skills documentation. *** ## Editing and deleting ### Built-in specialists * **Editable:** Backend agent, rules, skills, description. * **Locked:** Name and avatar (kept recognizable). * **Cannot be deleted** — only disabled. ### Custom specialists * **Fully editable** — including name and avatar. * **Delete** button at the bottom of the editor (cannot be undone). *** ## 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. *** ## 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](skills-the-agency.md)). Extension specialists have the same capabilities as built-in ones — the only difference is they come from the community catalog. *** ## Use cases ### File management specialist **Backend:** Built-in agent ```markdown theme={null} # 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 ``` ### Code review specialist **Backend:** Claude Code or built-in agent ```markdown theme={null} # 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 ``` ### Research specialist **Backend:** Built-in agent with web search enabled ```markdown theme={null} # 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 ```