---
url: /validators/agents.md
description: >-
  Validate Claude Code agent definitions for naming conventions, required
  fields, model configuration, tool references, and skill references with
  claudelint.
---

# Agents Validator

The Agents validator checks Claude Code agent definitions for correctness, including names, descriptions, tools, and model configuration.

## What It Checks

* Agent frontmatter schema compliance
* Required fields (name, description)
* Name/filename consistency
* Tool references
* Model configuration
* Skill references
* Hook configuration
* Body content length

## Rules

This validator includes  rules. See the [Agents rules category](/rules/agents/agent-body-too-short) for the complete list.

## CLI Usage

```bash
# Validate all agents
claudelint validate-agents

# Verbose output
claudelint validate-agents --verbose
```

::: info Agent files vs AGENTS.md
Claude Code agent files (`.claude/agents/<name>.md`) are single markdown files with YAML frontmatter that define sub-agents. Not to be confused with OpenAI's [AGENTS.md](https://developers.openai.com/codex/guides/agents-md/), which provides project-wide instructions for Codex agents (similar to Claude Code's `CLAUDE.md`).
:::

## See Also

* [Claude Code Sub-agents](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sub-agents) - Official sub-agents documentation
* [Configuration](/guide/configuration) - Customize rule severity