Tool Calling

Tool calling enables language models to interact with external functions and APIs, extending their capabilities beyond text generation.

Define a Tool

Create tools using defineTool() with Zod schemas:

import { defineTool } from '@core-ai/core-ai';
import { z } from 'zod';

const weatherTool = defineTool({
  name: 'get_weather',
  description: 'Get mocked weather information for a city',
  parameters: z.object({
    location: z.string().describe('City name'),
    unit: z.enum(['celsius', 'fahrenheit']).default('celsius'),
  }),
});

Basic Tool Usage

Implement a complete tool calling flow:

import { generate, defineTool } from '@core-ai/core-ai';
import { createOpenAI } from '@core-ai/openai';
import { z } from 'zod';

const openai = createOpenAI({ apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY });
const model = openai.chatModel('gpt-5-mini');

// Define the tool
const weatherTool = defineTool({
  name: 'get_weather',
  description: 'Get mocked weather information for a city',
  parameters: z.object({
    location: z.string().describe('City name'),
    unit: z.enum(['celsius', 'fahrenheit']).default('celsius'),
  }),
});

// Implement the tool function
function runWeatherTool(args: { location: string; unit: string }): string {
  const conditions = ['sunny', 'cloudy', 'windy'];
  const condition = conditions[args.location.length % conditions.length];
  const temperature = 10 + (args.location.length % 18);

  return JSON.stringify({
    location: args.location,
    unit: args.unit,
    temperature,
    condition,
  });
}

// Initial request with tools
const initialMessages = [
  {
    role: 'user' as const,
    content: 'What is the weather in Berlin? Reply in one sentence.',
  },
];

const firstResult = await generate({
  model,
  messages: initialMessages,
  tools: { get_weather: weatherTool },
  toolChoice: 'auto',
});

// Check if model wants to call tools
if (firstResult.finishReason !== 'tool-calls') {
  console.log('Model response without tool calls:', firstResult.content);
  process.exit(0);
}

// Execute the tool calls
const toolMessages = firstResult.toolCalls.map((call) => {
  if (call.name !== 'get_weather') {
    return {
      role: 'tool' as const,
      toolCallId: call.id,
      content: JSON.stringify({ error: `Unknown tool: ${call.name}` }),
      isError: true,
    };
  }

  return {
    role: 'tool' as const,
    toolCallId: call.id,
    content: runWeatherTool(call.arguments as any),
  };
});

// Get final response with tool results
const secondResult = await generate({
  model,
  messages: [
    ...initialMessages,
    {
      role: 'assistant',
      content: firstResult.content,
      toolCalls: firstResult.toolCalls,
    },
    ...toolMessages,
  ],
  tools: { get_weather: weatherTool },
});

console.log('Final response:', secondResult.content);

Tool Choice Strategies

Control when and how tools are used:

// Let model decide whether to use tools
const result = await generate({
  model,
  messages,
  tools: { get_weather: weatherTool },
  toolChoice: 'auto', // Default behavior
});

// Force model to use at least one tool
const result = await generate({
  model,
  messages,
  tools: { get_weather: weatherTool },
  toolChoice: 'required',
});

// Disable tool usage
const result = await generate({
  model,
  messages,
  tools: { get_weather: weatherTool },
  toolChoice: 'none',
});

// Force a specific tool
const result = await generate({
  model,
  messages,
  tools: { get_weather: weatherTool },
  toolChoice: { type: 'tool', toolName: 'get_weather' },
});

Multiple Tools

Provide multiple tools for the model to choose from:

import { defineTool, generate } from '@core-ai/core-ai';
import { z } from 'zod';

const weatherTool = defineTool({
  name: 'get_weather',
  description: 'Get current weather information',
  parameters: z.object({
    location: z.string(),
  }),
});

const timeTool = defineTool({
  name: 'get_time',
  description: 'Get current time in a timezone',
  parameters: z.object({
    timezone: z.string().describe('IANA timezone name'),
  }),
});

const searchTool = defineTool({
  name: 'search_web',
  description: 'Search the web for information',
  parameters: z.object({
    query: z.string(),
    limit: z.number().default(10),
  }),
});

const result = await generate({
  model,
  messages: [{
    role: 'user',
    content: 'What is the weather in London and what time is it there?',
  }],
  tools: {
    get_weather: weatherTool,
    get_time: timeTool,
    search_web: searchTool,
  },
  toolChoice: 'auto',
});

// Model may call multiple tools
if (result.finishReason === 'tool-calls') {
  console.log('Tools called:', result.toolCalls.length);
  result.toolCalls.forEach((call) => {
    console.log(`- ${call.name}:`, call.arguments);
  });
}

Handling Tool Calls

Best practices for executing tool calls:

import { generate, defineTool } from '@core-ai/core-ai';
import { z } from 'zod';

const weatherParameters = z.object({
  location: z.string(),
  unit: z.enum(['celsius', 'fahrenheit']).default('celsius'),
});

const weatherTool = defineTool({
  name: 'get_weather',
  description: 'Get weather information',
  parameters: weatherParameters,
});

type WeatherArgs = z.infer<typeof weatherParameters>;

function getWeather(args: WeatherArgs): string {
  // Implement your weather API call here
  return JSON.stringify({ temperature: 20, condition: 'sunny' });
}

const result = await generate({
  model,
  messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'Weather in Paris?' }],
  tools: { get_weather: weatherTool },
});

if (result.finishReason === 'tool-calls') {
  const toolMessages = result.toolCalls.map((call) => {
    // Validate tool name
    if (call.name !== 'get_weather') {
      return {
        role: 'tool' as const,
        toolCallId: call.id,
        content: JSON.stringify({ error: `Unknown tool: ${call.name}` }),
        isError: true,
      };
    }

    // Validate arguments with Zod
    const parsed = weatherParameters.safeParse(call.arguments);
    if (!parsed.success) {
      return {
        role: 'tool' as const,
        toolCallId: call.id,
        content: JSON.stringify({
          error: 'Invalid arguments',
          issues: parsed.error.issues,
        }),
        isError: true,
      };
    }

    // Execute tool with validated arguments
    try {
      const result = getWeather(parsed.data);
      return {
        role: 'tool' as const,
        toolCallId: call.id,
        content: result,
      };
    } catch (error) {
      return {
        role: 'tool' as const,
        toolCallId: call.id,
        content: JSON.stringify({ error: String(error) }),
        isError: true,
      };
    }
  });

  // Continue conversation with tool results
  const finalResult = await generate({
    model,
    messages: [
      { role: 'user', content: 'Weather in Paris?' },
      {
        role: 'assistant',
        content: result.content,
        toolCalls: result.toolCalls,
      },
      ...toolMessages,
    ],
    tools: { get_weather: weatherTool },
  });

  console.log(finalResult.content);
}

Tool Calling with Streaming

Handle tool calls during streaming:

import { stream, defineTool } from '@core-ai/core-ai';
import { z } from 'zod';

const calculatorTool = defineTool({
  name: 'calculate',
  description: 'Perform a calculation',
  parameters: z.object({
    expression: z.string().describe('Mathematical expression'),
  }),
});

const result = await stream({
  model,
  messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'What is 25 * 17?' }],
  tools: { calculate: calculatorTool },
});

const toolCalls: ToolCall[] = [];

for await (const event of result) {
  switch (event.type) {
    case 'text-delta':
      process.stdout.write(event.text);
      break;

    case 'tool-call-start':
      console.log(`\nCalling tool: ${event.toolName}`);
      break;

    case 'tool-call-delta':
      // Tool arguments are being streamed
      process.stdout.write(event.argumentsDelta);
      break;

    case 'tool-call-end':
      console.log(`\nTool call complete:`, event.toolCall);
      toolCalls.push(event.toolCall);
      break;
  }
}

const response = await result.toResponse();

if (response.finishReason === 'tool-calls') {
  // Execute tools and continue conversation
  console.log('Need to execute tools:', toolCalls);
}

Advanced Tool Examples

Database Query
API Call
File Operations

const queryTool = defineTool({
  name: 'query_database',
  description: 'Query the user database',
  parameters: z.object({
    query: z.string().describe('SQL query to execute'),
    limit: z.number().max(100).default(10),
  }),
});

function executeQuery(args: { query: string; limit: number }) {
  // Validate and execute safe queries only
  if (!args.query.toLowerCase().startsWith('select')) {
    throw new Error('Only SELECT queries are allowed');
  }

  // Execute query with your database client
  const results = db.query(args.query, { limit: args.limit });
  return JSON.stringify(results);
}

const apiTool = defineTool({
  name: 'call_api',
  description: 'Make an API request',
  parameters: z.object({
    endpoint: z.string(),
    method: z.enum(['GET', 'POST', 'PUT', 'DELETE']),
    body: z.record(z.string(), z.unknown()).optional(),
  }),
});

async function callApi(args: {
  endpoint: string;
  method: string;
  body?: Record<string, unknown>;
}) {
  const response = await fetch(args.endpoint, {
    method: args.method,
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: args.body ? JSON.stringify(args.body) : undefined,
  });

  return JSON.stringify(await response.json());
}

const fileTool = defineTool({
  name: 'read_file',
  description: 'Read contents of a file',
  parameters: z.object({
    path: z.string().describe('File path to read'),
    encoding: z.enum(['utf-8', 'base64']).default('utf-8'),
  }),
});

async function readFile(args: { path: string; encoding: string }) {
  // Validate path is safe
  if (args.path.includes('..')) {
    throw new Error('Path traversal not allowed');
  }

  const content = await fs.readFile(args.path, args.encoding as any);
  return JSON.stringify({ content });
}

Tool Result Messages

Structure tool results properly:

import type { ToolResultMessage } from '@core-ai/core-ai';

// Success case
const successMessage: ToolResultMessage = {
  role: 'tool',
  toolCallId: call.id,
  content: JSON.stringify({ result: 'success', data: { /* ... */ } }),
};

// Error case
const errorMessage: ToolResultMessage = {
  role: 'tool',
  toolCallId: call.id,
  content: JSON.stringify({ error: 'Something went wrong' }),
  isError: true, // Mark as error
};

Helper: Convert Result to Message

Use resultToMessage() to simplify conversation building:

import { generate, resultToMessage } from '@core-ai/core-ai';

const messages = [{ role: 'user', content: 'What is the weather?' }];

const firstResult = await generate({
  model,
  messages,
  tools: { get_weather: weatherTool },
});

// Convert result to assistant message automatically
const assistantMessage = resultToMessage(firstResult);

messages.push(assistantMessage);

// Add tool results
if (firstResult.finishReason === 'tool-calls') {
  const toolResults = executeTools(firstResult.toolCalls);
  messages.push(...toolResults);

  const secondResult = await generate({ model, messages, tools });
  console.log(secondResult.content);
}

Best Practices

Validate tool arguments with Zod

Always validate tool arguments before execution:

const parsed = toolParameters.safeParse(call.arguments);
if (!parsed.success) {
  return {
    role: 'tool',
    toolCallId: call.id,
    content: JSON.stringify({ error: parsed.error }),
    isError: true,
  };
}

// Use parsed.data safely
const result = executeTool(parsed.data);

Add detailed tool descriptions

Help the model understand when to use tools:

const tool = defineTool({
  name: 'get_weather',
  description: 'Get current weather information for a specific location. Use this when users ask about weather, temperature, or conditions.',
  parameters: z.object({
    location: z.string().describe('City name or location. Examples: "London", "New York, NY", "Tokyo, Japan"'),
  }),
});

Handle errors gracefully

Return errors as tool results instead of throwing:

try {
  const result = await executeToolFunction(args);
  return {
    role: 'tool',
    toolCallId: call.id,
    content: JSON.stringify(result),
  };
} catch (error) {
  return {
    role: 'tool',
    toolCallId: call.id,
    content: JSON.stringify({
      error: error.message,
      type: error.name,
    }),
    isError: true,
  };
}

Limit tool execution time

Prevent tools from hanging:

async function executeToolWithTimeout(
  tool: () => Promise<string>,
  timeoutMs: number = 5000
): Promise<string> {
  const timeoutPromise = new Promise<never>((_, reject) =>
    setTimeout(() => reject(new Error('Tool timeout')), timeoutMs)
  );

  return Promise.race([tool(), timeoutPromise]);
}

Next Steps

Chat Completion

Learn basic message generation

Structured Outputs

Combine tools with structured responses

Streaming

Stream tool calls in real-time

Multi-Modal

Use tools with image inputs

Get Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Examples

Define a Tool

Basic Tool Usage

Tool Choice Strategies

Multiple Tools

Handling Tool Calls

Tool Calling with Streaming

Advanced Tool Examples

Tool Result Messages

Helper: Convert Result to Message

Best Practices

Next Steps

Chat Completion

Structured Outputs

Streaming

Multi-Modal

Get Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Examples

​Define a Tool

​Basic Tool Usage

​Tool Choice Strategies

​Multiple Tools

​Handling Tool Calls

​Tool Calling with Streaming

​Advanced Tool Examples

​Tool Result Messages

​Helper: Convert Result to Message

​Best Practices

​Next Steps

Chat Completion

Structured Outputs

Streaming

Multi-Modal

Define a Tool

Basic Tool Usage

Tool Choice Strategies

Multiple Tools

Handling Tool Calls

Tool Calling with Streaming

Advanced Tool Examples

Tool Result Messages

Helper: Convert Result to Message

Best Practices

Next Steps