Tools
Tools are the actions that agents can take to interact with the world. They’re how agents move from thinking to doing.
What Are Tools?
When you ask an agent to “create a file”, it uses a file tool. When you ask it to “search the web”, it uses a search tool. Tools are the bridge between AI reasoning and real-world actions.
Think of tools like apps on your phone — each one does something specific, and together they let you accomplish many different tasks.
Built-in Tools
OpenViber comes with several tools ready to use:
| Tool | What It Does |
|---|---|
| File | Read, write, create, and delete files |
| Terminal | Run shell commands and scripts |
| Browser | Navigate web pages, click, type, extract content |
| Search | Find information online |
| Desktop | Interact with desktop applications |
How Agents Use Tools
When an agent decides to use a tool:
- It selects the appropriate tool for the task
- Provides the necessary inputs (like a filename or search query)
- Executes the action
- Receives the result and continues reasoning
You can observe this process in real-time through the Viber Board.
Tool Permissions
For safety, tools can be restricted:
- Allowed tools — Only these tools can be used
- Blocked tools — These tools are never used
- Approval required — Agent asks before using these tools
This lets you control the blast radius of agent actions.
Custom Tools
Skills can provide specialized tools for specific domains. For example, an “antigravity” skill might include a tool for checking IDE health and auto-recovering from errors.
See Skills for how domain knowledge bundles tools with instructions.