Tools and context
Give an agent the smallest set of trusted information and actions that can complete its job.
Context is the set of facts a run can use; tools are the structured actions it may take. They solve different problems and should be configured separately.
Scope context through entity types, relationships, source freshness, and the requesting identity. Give tools explicit inputs and outputs, one responsibility, and a permission boundary. Start with reads. Add writes only when the workflow around them specifies approvals, retry behaviour, idempotency, and rollback or remediation.
An agent should not query raw infrastructure or receive ambient credentials. Use platform tools and integrations so policy, audit, and observability stay consistent.
Updated Aug 31, 2026