tool-design

Design agent tool interfaces with explicit schemas and error handling.

10|2|Updated Mar 12, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/viktorbezdek/skillstack --skill tool-design-viktorbezdek
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: tool-design
Source: https://github.com/viktorbezdek/skillstack/tree/main/tool-design/skills/tool-design
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/viktorbezdek/skillstack --skill tool-design-viktorbezdek

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Tools are the primary interface between agents and the world. Unlike traditional APIs designed for developers who understand underlying systems, tool APIs must be designed for language models that infer intent from descriptions and generate calls from natural language requests. Poor tool design creates failure modes that no amount of prompt engineering can fix. Effective tool design follows specific principles that account for how agents perceive and use tools.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Consolidation-first design: build comprehensive tools that cover full workflows rather than overly narrow wrappers.
  • Clear tool descriptions: define what the tool does, when to use it, expected inputs, and outputs with concrete examples.
  • Error handling and recoverability: design actionable errors to guide recovery.
  • Tool naming and organization: namespace tools to manage scale and reduce ambiguity.
  • Practical examples: illustrative uses like designing a schedule_event tool that handles availability and booking in a single call.

Quick Start

Draft a new tool description that follows the principles above, including a clear name, inputs, outputs, defaults, and error handling.

Frequently Asked Questions about tool-design

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I design AI agent tools that prevent prompt engineering failures?

Effective AI agent tool design requires defining unambiguous contracts between agents and environments. You must establish clear parameter naming, actionable error schemas, and specific when-to-use descriptions to ensure reliable tool use in AI workflows.

What is consolidation-first design for agent tooling?

Consolidation-first design for agent tooling builds comprehensive tools covering full workflows rather than narrow wrappers. This approach reduces ambiguity for language models by handling complete processes like checking availability and booking simultaneously in a single call.

How to write tool descriptions for language models?

Writing tool descriptions for language models requires defining what the tool does, when to use it, expected inputs, and outputs with concrete examples. You must apply a consistent frontmatter schema and explicit parameter naming to support reliable AI workflow execution.

How do I design actionable error handling for AI workflows?

Designing actionable error handling for AI workflows involves creating error schemas that guide recovery. You must provide documentation references and examples within the tool interface to help agents understand failures and execute corrective actions autonomously.

Does tool design require dependencies to support agent workflows?

Robust tool design for agent workflows does not require external dependencies. You can enforce consistent frontmatter schemas, explicit parameter naming, and actionable error schemas entirely through interface definitions and documentation references.

Why does tool API design fail without proper naming and organization?

Tool API design fails without proper naming and organization because language models infer intent from descriptions. Overly narrow wrappers and ambiguous namespaces create failure modes that no amount of prompt engineering can fix during tool use.