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samvanme
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tool-design

Design agent tools with explicit contracts and consistent definitions.

Updated Jan 9, 2026
Search Tags:#design#prompt engineering#agent#error-handling#consolidation#tools#tool-description
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/samvanme/SBSitev0 --skill tool-design-samvanme
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: tool-design
Source: https://github.com/samvanme/SBSitev0/tree/main/claudeskills/Agent-Skills-for-Context-Engineering-main/skills/tool-design
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/samvanme/SBSitev0 --skill tool-design-samvanme

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill codifies best practices for designing agent tools, ensuring clear contracts, predictable behavior, and minimized tool proliferation.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Tool Description Engineering: Create precise, actionable tool descriptions that answer what, when, inputs, and returns.
  • Consolidation & Namespace Strategy: Group related tools under umbrella tools or namespaces to reduce decision fatigue.
  • Error Handling & Response Formats: Define consistent error models and structured response formats to aid recovery and reliability.
  • Tool Schema & Validation: Build formal schemas and evaluators to validate tool definitions against criteria like clarity, completeness, and consistency.

Quick Start

Implement a new tool called summarize_document:

  • Inputs: document_id (string, required), summary_length (string enum: concise|detailed, optional, default "concise")
  • Returns: summary (string), summary_length (string)
  • Example: "Summarize document_id 'DOC-123' in concise form" Then integrate the new tool into your agent loop with a minimal description schema and an example tool call.

Frequently Asked Questions about tool-design

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I design agent tools with clear contracts and predictable behavior?▼

Tool consolidation groups related tools under umbrella tools or namespaces to reduce agent decision fatigue. By standardizing interfaces across teams, this strategy prevents tool proliferation and ensures agents select the correct function efficiently.

How do I write effective tool descriptions for prompt engineering?▼

Writing effective tool descriptions requires precise, actionable text that explicitly answers what the tool does, when to use it, expected inputs, and returns. This structured definition schema guides the agent accurately during execution.

What is the best way to structure error handling and response formats for agent tools?▼

The best way to structure error handling for agent tools is to define consistent error models and structured response formats. This approach aids agent recovery and improves overall reliability when tools execute and return results.

How do I validate agent tool schemas for clarity and completeness?▼

Validate agent tool schemas by applying formal evaluators against criteria like clarity, completeness, and consistency. Building these evaluators ensures tool definitions meet standardized quality criteria before integration into the agent loop.

Does this tool design framework support standardizing interfaces across multiple teams?▼

Yes, this framework supports standardizing interfaces across teams by enforcing a consistent tool-definition schema. It provides a unified structure for tool descriptions, inputs, returns, and error handling to maintain quality at scale.

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