Tool call
Structured model output that names a tool and supplies the arguments for running it.
Illustrative conversation
- The model requested delete_file. Is the file already gone?
- Not necessarily. The tool call is a request; the harness must still authorize and execute it.
Definition
A tool call is the structured request that identifies a tool and provides its arguments. It is not the same as execution: the host or harness still has to validate the request, apply authorization rules, run or deny it, and return a result to the model. That separation is especially important for destructive or externally visible actions.
Reviewed