Tools extend what your agent can do. There are five types of tools.
Tool Types
| Type | What it is | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| App | Any app from the grid | Image generation, search, transcription |
| Agent | Another agent | Delegate specialized tasks |
| Hook | External webhook | Connect to your own services |
| Client | Code-executed tools | Browser automation, custom logic |
| Internal | Built-in agent capabilities | Memory, planning, widgets |
All tools are managed in one place: the Tools tab.
Adding an App Tool
- Open your agent's settings
- Go to the Tools tab
- Click Add Tool → App Tool
- Search and select an app
The agent can now call this app.
What happens automatically:
- Name is extracted from the app
- Input schema becomes tool parameters
- You can customize the description shown to the agent
Configuring Setup & Default Inputs
App tools support two types of pre-configuration:
| Setting | Purpose | When it's used |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | One-time configuration values | Passed to the app on every call (e.g., API keys, model selection) |
| Default Inputs | Default parameter values | Merged with agent's call — agent can override these |
To configure:
- After adding an app tool, click Configure Setup or Configure Default Inputs
- Fill in the form fields
- Save the agent
Example: An image generation tool might have:
- Setup: API key, default model, safety settings
- Default Inputs: Default resolution, style preset
The agent only sees input parameters — setup values are hidden from the LLM.
Adding an Agent Tool
Agents can delegate to other agents:
- Go to Tools tab
- Click Add Tool → Agent Tool
- Select another agent
The main agent can now delegate tasks to it.
1Main Agent2├── Research Agent (gathers information)3├── Writing Agent (creates content)4└── Editor Agent (reviews and polishes)See Sub-Agents for more details.
Adding a Webhook Tool
Connect your agent to external services:
- Go to Tools tab
- Click Add Tool → Webhook Tool
- Enter a name and webhook URL
- Optionally add a secret and input schema
When called, the hook receives:
- Tool arguments
- A callback URL to return results
See Webhooks for implementation details.
Client Tools
Client tools execute in your application code. They're defined with a handler function that runs when the agent calls the tool.
1import { tool, string } from '@inferencesh/sdk'23const myTool = tool('search_ui')4 .describe('Scans the UI for interactive elements')5 .param('query', string('Search query'))6 .handler(async (args) => {7 // Your code runs here8 return JSON.stringify({ results: [...] })9 })Client tools are useful for:
- Browser automation (DOM interaction)
- Accessing local resources
- Custom business logic
- Integrating with frontend frameworks
Internal Tools
Internal tools are built-in capabilities provided by the runtime. They're automatically available based on agent configuration.
Plan Tools
Task planning for complex multi-step operations:
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
plan_create | Create a plan with steps |
plan_update | Update step status |
plan_load | View current plan |
Memory Tools
Key-value storage that persists across messages:
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
memory_set | Store a value |
memory_get | Retrieve a value |
memory_getall | Get all stored memories |
Widget Tool
UI rendering for interactive forms (top-level agents only):
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
widget | Create forms, buttons, cards |
Finish Tool
For agents to report structured output:
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
finish | Report status and results |
When output_schema is set on the agent config, the finish tool validates results against the schema. See Structured Output for details.
Skills Tool
Load skill content on-demand (when agent has skills defined):
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
skill_get | Retrieve a skill's full content |
See Skills for more details on defining and using skills.
Example App Tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
stable-diffusion | Generate images |
whisper | Transcribe audio |
summarize | Condense text |
web-search | Search the internet |
How Agents Use Tools
When you chat:
1You: Generate a sunset image23Agent: I'll create that for you.4 [Calling stable-diffusion with prompt "sunset"]56 Here's your sunset image!The agent decides when to use which tool based on your request.
Tool Descriptions
Each tool has a description that tells the agent what it does. Good descriptions help the agent choose the right tool:
Generic:
1Search the webBetter:
1Search the web for current information. Use when you need up-to-date2facts, news, or information not in your training data.