Design clear agent tool interfaces with explicit contracts and error handling.
npx skills add https://github.com/mhismail3/dotfiles --skill tool-design
Please help me install this Agent Skill. Skill: tool-design Source: https://github.com/mhismail3/dotfiles/tree/main/claude/skills/tool-design Command: npx skills add https://github.com/mhismail3/dotfiles --skill tool-design
Tools are the contracts that govern how agents interact with the world. Without clear tool descriptions, agents guess, leading to failures and brittle behavior. This Skill guides you in designing, documenting, and standardizing tool interfaces that agents can reliably invoke.
Define a new tool named 'fetch_user' with inputs id and output format, and specify its return structure and error cases.
High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.
Design clear tool interfaces by writing precise descriptions that specify what the tool does, when to use it, and what it returns. Include explicit parameter requirements, structured response formats, and error handling guidance so agents understand both success and failure paths.
A good tool description answers three questions: what does the tool do, when should it be invoked, and what does it return. Include concrete examples of inputs and outputs, required parameters with types, and common error cases with recovery steps.
Agents fail when tool descriptions are vague, parameters are poorly documented, or error messages don't guide recovery. Tool-design failures stem from unclear contracts between agent and tool—comprehensive descriptions with explicit naming, consistent formats, and helpful error messages prevent these breakdowns.
Favor fewer comprehensive tools over many narrow ones. Consolidating related functionality into single well-documented tools reduces cognitive load on agents, minimizes confusion about which tool to call, and makes error handling more predictable.
Design error messages that guide agents toward recovery by explaining what went wrong and what action to take next. Structured error responses with specific failure reasons and suggested corrections help agents adapt instead of failing silently.
Yes. Establish consistent naming patterns, parameter structures, response formats, and error-handling conventions across all tools. Standardization reduces agent confusion, makes tools predictable, and simplifies maintenance as your tool ecosystem grows.
abdullah1854Design structured tool interfaces with explicit inputs, returns, errors, and MCP naming conventions.
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