tool-design-pattern

name	tool-design-pattern
description	Automatically applies when creating AI tool functions. Ensures proper schema design, input validation, error handling, context access, and comprehensive testing.

AI Tool Design Pattern Enforcer

When creating tools for AI agents (LangChain, function calling, etc.), follow these design patterns.

✅ Standard Tool Pattern

from langchain.tools import tool
from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
from typing import Optional
import logging

logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)

# 1. Define input schema
class SearchInput(BaseModel):
    """Input schema for search tool."""

    query: str = Field(..., description="Search query string")
    max_results: int = Field(
        default=10,
        ge=1,
        le=100,
        description="Maximum number of results to return"
    )
    filter_type: Optional[str] = Field(
        None,
        description="Optional filter type (e.g., 'recent', 'popular')"
    )

# 2. Implement tool function
@tool(args_schema=SearchInput)
def search_database(query: str, max_results: int = 10, filter_type: Optional[str] = None) -> str:
    """
    Search database for relevant information.

    Use this tool when user asks to find, search, or look up information.
    Returns JSON string with search results.

    Args:
        query: Search query string
        max_results: Maximum number of results (1-100)
        filter_type: Optional filter (recent, popular)

    Returns:
        JSON string with results or error message
    """
    request_id = str(uuid.uuid4())

    try:
        # Log tool invocation
        logger.info(
            f"TOOL_CALL: search_database | "
            f"query={query[:50]} | "
            f"request_id={request_id}"
        )

        # Validate inputs
        if not query or not query.strip():
            return json.dumps({
                "error": "Query cannot be empty",
                "request_id": request_id
            })

        # Execute search
        results = _execute_search(query, max_results, filter_type)

        # Return structured response
        return json.dumps({
            "results": results,
            "total": len(results),
            "request_id": request_id
        })

    except Exception as e:
        logger.error(f"Tool error | request_id={request_id}", exc_info=True)
        return json.dumps({
            "error": "Search failed",
            "request_id": request_id,
            "timestamp": datetime.now().isoformat()
        })

# 3. Helper implementation
def _execute_search(query: str, max_results: int, filter_type: Optional[str]) -> List[dict]:
    """Internal search implementation."""
    # Actual search logic
    pass

Tool Schema Design

from pydantic import BaseModel, Field, field_validator
from typing import Literal, Optional

class EmailToolInput(BaseModel):
    """Well-designed tool input schema."""

    recipient: str = Field(
        ...,
        description="Email address of recipient (e.g., [e-mail])"
    )

    subject: str = Field(
        ...,
        description="Email subject line",
        min_length=1,
        max_length=200
    )

    body: str = Field(
        ...,
        description="Email body content",
        min_length=1
    )

    priority: Literal["low", "normal", "high"] = Field(
        default="normal",
        description="Email priority level"
    )

    attach_invoice: bool = Field(
        default=False,
        description="Whether to attach invoice PDF"
    )

    @field_validator('recipient')
    @classmethod
    def validate_email(cls, v: str) -> str:
        if '@' not in v:
            raise ValueError('Invalid email address')
        return v.lower()

    class Config:
        json_schema_extra = {
            "example": {
                "recipient": "[e-mail]",
                "subject": "Order Confirmation",
                "body": "Thank you for your order!",
                "priority": "normal",
                "attach_invoice": True
            }
        }

Error Handling Pattern

import uuid
from datetime import datetime
import json

@tool
def robust_tool(param: str) -> str:
    """Tool with comprehensive error handling."""
    request_id = str(uuid.uuid4())

    # Input validation
    if not param:
        return json.dumps({
            "error": "Parameter is required",
            "error_code": "INVALID_INPUT",
            "request_id": request_id,
            "timestamp": datetime.now().isoformat()
        })

    try:
        # Main logic
        result = process_data(param)

        return json.dumps({
            "success": True,
            "data": result,
            "request_id": request_id
        })

    except ValidationError as e:
        return json.dumps({
            "error": str(e),
            "error_code": "VALIDATION_ERROR",
            "request_id": request_id,
            "timestamp": datetime.now().isoformat()
        })

    except ExternalAPIError as e:
        logger.error(f"External API failed | request_id={request_id}", exc_info=True)
        return json.dumps({
            "error": "External service unavailable",
            "error_code": "SERVICE_ERROR",
            "request_id": request_id,
            "timestamp": datetime.now().isoformat()
        })

    except Exception as e:
        logger.error(f"Unexpected error | request_id={request_id}", exc_info=True)
        return json.dumps({
            "error": "An unexpected error occurred",
            "error_code": "INTERNAL_ERROR",
            "request_id": request_id,
            "timestamp": datetime.now().isoformat()
        })

Context Access Pattern

from typing import Any

@tool
def context_aware_tool(query: str, context: Optional[dict] = None) -> str:
    """
    Tool that uses conversation context.

    Args:
        query: User query
        context: Optional context from agent (user_id, session_id, etc.)

    Returns:
        JSON string with results
    """
    # Extract context safely
    user_id = context.get("user_id") if context else None
    session_id = context.get("session_id") if context else None

    logger.info(
        f"Tool called | user_id={user_id} | "
        f"session_id={session_id} | query={query[:50]}"
    )

    # Use context in logic
    if user_id:
        # Personalized response
        results = fetch_user_data(user_id, query)
    else:
        # Generic response
        results = fetch_generic_data(query)

    return json.dumps({"results": results})

Async Tool Pattern

from langchain.tools import tool
import httpx

@tool
async def async_api_tool(query: str) -> str:
    """
    Async tool for external API calls.

    Use async for I/O-bound operations to improve performance.
    """
    request_id = str(uuid.uuid4())

    try:
        async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client:
            response = await client.get(
                f"https://api.example.com/search",
                params={"q": query},
                timeout=10.0
            )
            response.raise_for_status()

            return json.dumps({
                "results": response.json(),
                "request_id": request_id
            })

    except httpx.TimeoutException:
        return json.dumps({
            "error": "Request timed out",
            "request_id": request_id
        })
    except httpx.HTTPStatusError as e:
        return json.dumps({
            "error": f"API error: {e.response.status_code}",
            "request_id": request_id
        })

Testing Tools

import pytest
from unittest.mock import patch, Mock

def test_search_tool_success():
    """Test successful search."""
    result = search_database(query="test query", max_results=5)
    data = json.loads(result)

    assert "results" in data
    assert "request_id" in data
    assert data["total"] >= 0

def test_search_tool_empty_query():
    """Test validation error."""
    result = search_database(query="", max_results=10)
    data = json.loads(result)

    assert "error" in data
    assert data["error"] == "Query cannot be empty"

@patch('module.httpx.get')
def test_async_tool_timeout(mock_get):
    """Test timeout handling."""
    mock_get.side_effect = httpx.TimeoutException("Timeout")

    result = async_api_tool(query="test")
    data = json.loads(result)

    assert "error" in data
    assert "timed out" in data["error"].lower()

@pytest.mark.asyncio
async def test_async_tool_success():
    """Test async tool success path."""
    with patch('module.httpx.AsyncClient') as mock_client:
        mock_response = Mock()
        mock_response.json.return_value = {"data": "test"}
        mock_response.raise_for_status = Mock()

        mock_client.return_value.__aenter__.return_value.get.return_value = mock_response

        result = await async_api_tool("test query")
        data = json.loads(result)

        assert "results" in data

❌ Anti-Patterns

# ❌ No input schema
@tool
def bad_tool(param):  # No type hints, no schema!
    pass

# ❌ Returning plain strings
@tool
def bad_tool(param: str) -> str:
    return "Error: something went wrong"  # Not structured!

# ❌ No error handling
@tool
def bad_tool(param: str) -> str:
    result = external_api_call(param)  # What if this fails?
    return result

# ❌ Exposing sensitive data
@tool
def bad_tool(user_id: str) -> str:
    logger.info(f"Processing user {user_id}")  # PII leak!
    return json.dumps({"user_id": user_id})

# ❌ No validation
@tool
def bad_tool(email: str) -> str:
    send_email(email)  # What if email is invalid?
    return "Sent"

Best Practices Checklist

• ✅ Define Pydantic input schema with descriptions
• ✅ Add comprehensive docstring (when to use, what it returns)
• ✅ Include field descriptions in schema
• ✅ Add input validation
• ✅ Use structured JSON responses
• ✅ Include request_id in all responses
• ✅ Add proper error handling with try/except
• ✅ Log tool invocations (with PII redaction)
• ✅ Use async for I/O-bound operations
• ✅ Write comprehensive tests (success, error, edge cases)
• ✅ Add examples in schema
• ✅ Keep tools focused (single responsibility)

Auto-Apply

When creating tools:

1. Define Pydantic input schema with Field descriptions
2. Add @tool decorator with args_schema
3. Write comprehensive docstring
4. Add input validation
5. Use try/except for error handling
6. Return structured JSON with request_id
7. Log invocations (redact PII)
8. Write tests for success and error cases

Related Skills

• pydantic-models - For input schemas
• structured-errors - For error responses
• async-await-checker - For async tools
• pytest-patterns - For testing tools
• docstring-format - For tool documentation
• pii-redaction - For logging