Definition · foundations
tool calling
tool calling is the process by which a model or agent requests that software run a named tool with stated arguments. You can spot tool calling in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does tool calling matter?
The call boundary is where names and arguments can be checked before outside software receives authority to act. For tool calling, start with three checks: What can the system observe? What choice can it make? What changes after it acts? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does tool calling look like?
An agent requests `create_ticket` with a subject and severity that the application validates. This example makes tool calling visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is tool calling easy to confuse with?
Tool calling is the request process. Function calling is the model feature often used to produce a structured request. The closest entries here are termination condition, tool discovery, function calling. Compare their definitions with tool calling before using the names as if they mean the same thing.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term tool calling?
We have not verified who first introduced tool calling. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before tool calling?
Read artificial intelligence (AI) first when tool calling depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use tool calling to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What can the system observe?
- What choice can it make?
- What changes after it acts?
Which source supports this definition of tool calling?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of tool calling. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to tool calling; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundtool callingChecked 2026-07-12→