Definition · foundations
tool schema
tool schema is a structured description of a tool’s name, purpose, inputs, and output shape. You can spot tool schema 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 schema matter?
The schema is the contract the model and runtime share. Clear fields and constraints reduce malformed or unsafe calls. For tool schema, 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 schema look like?
A payment tool requires amount, currency, payee ID, and approval token with declared types. This example makes tool schema 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 schema easy to confuse with?
A tool schema describes one tool's interface. A tool registry collects schemas and discovery data for many tools. The closest entries here are tool result, tool selection, agent manifest. Compare their definitions with tool schema 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 schema?
We have not verified who first introduced tool schema. 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 schema?
Read artificial intelligence (AI) first when tool schema 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 schema 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 schema?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of tool schema. 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 schema; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundtool schemaChecked 2026-07-12→