Defining Skills as Tools
Tool schema design, input validation, output contracts, and building retrieval and action skills.
Building Action Skills
Action skills modify external state – writing files, calling APIs, updating databases, sending messages – and require idempotency, confirmation patterns, and dry-run modes to prevent irreversible mistakes.
Building Retrieval Skills
Retrieval skills search and fetch information from external sources – web search, databases, file systems, and vector stores – giving the agent access to knowledge beyond its training data.
Designing Effective Tool Schemas
Well-designed tool schemas with descriptive names, clear descriptions, typed parameters, and sensible defaults are the single biggest factor in whether an LLM reliably selects and invokes the right tool.
Input Validation and Type Safety
Validating tool inputs before execution prevents bad data from cascading through tool chains, turning silent failures into clear error messages the LLM can understand and correct.
Output Contracts
Consistent, structured tool outputs with clear success/error distinction and metadata enable the LLM to reliably parse results and make confident decisions about what to do next.