Lower Usage from Background Subagents in Claude Code

Small update for Claude Code users: background helpers now use less of your usage limit, with nothing to change except updating the app.

A running subagent updates its status line every 30 seconds, and each update used to re-read the subagent's whole conversation
Haiku 5.5 now writes the status line from short notes, which makes each update about 99% cheaper in usage
The subagent itself keeps running on its own model, so the work it does is not downgraded
Sessions with background subagents used about 5% less of the limit, which works out to about 6% more prompts on the same limit
Live for most Pro, Max, and Ultra users and for everyone on Team and Enterprise

Long Claude Code sessions that hand work off to subagents, the helpers that run tasks in the background.

Update to version 2.1.316 or later if you run background subagents and tend to hit your limit.

Heavy Claude Code users on plans with usage limits. People who rarely use background subagents won't notice a difference.

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