GUIDE

Tool Calling Is a Contract, Not a Prompt Trick

A framework for designing tools that agents can use safely and predictably.

tool callingfunction callingagent toolsAPI design

Why this matters

The best tool descriptions are backed by deterministic validation, clear errors and narrow permissions.

The practical takeaways

  • Keep input schemas small and explicit.
  • Return structured results with stable error codes.
  • Separate read tools from write tools and require confirmation for writes.

How to apply it

Start with one measurable workflow, define the failure boundary, and publish the result with enough context for another builder to reproduce the decision. The goal is not to chase every announcement; it is to turn useful changes into better products, skills and deployment practice.

Editorial note

This is an original FDE editorial synthesis based on the linked source. It is not a translation or reproduction of the source article.