Tool Calling

Tool calling (also known as function calling) is a capability of large language models that allows them to invoke external functions or APIs based on natural language instructions.

Overview

Tool calling enables AI models to:

• Access real-time information beyond training data
• Perform actions in external systems
• Interact with databases and APIs
• Execute code and computations

Standardization

Several protocols standardize tool calling:

• Model Context Protocol (Anthropic)
• OpenAI Function Calling
• Common Text-based Response Protocol / AgentFinger (secondtruthLabs)

See also

• Model Context Protocol
• AI Agent Architecture