Tools
DirectionGoverned capabilities for people, agents, and apps.
A tool is a governed capability with typed input and output. People, apps, native agents, and external agents invoke the same contract.
Define a tool
123456789101112131415export const ResolveIncident = defineTool({ id: "resolveIncident", inputSchema: z.object({ incidentId: z.string(), resolution: z.string(), }), outputSchema: z.object({ resolution: z.string() }), async handler(ctx, input) { await Incident.update(ctx, input.incidentId, { state: "resolved", resolvedAt: new Date(), }) return { resolution: input.resolution } },})Use defineTool for a customer-owned capability that has business meaning, spans objects, needs stronger controls, or coordinates an external effect. Connections can provide tools through the same callable surface. Objects generate standard record tools automatically.
12345export const supportTools = defineTools({ search: SearchSupport, assign: AssignSupport, resolve: ResolveIncident,})Call a tool
123ResolveIncident.inputSchemaResolveIncident.outputSchemaawait ResolveIncident.call(ctx, input)The context carries the verified actor and execution state for the current project and branch. It is not a service container: objects and tools are ordinary source imports rather than dependencies resolved from ctx.
One callable surface
Continual derives MCP and client contracts from complete tool definitions. There is no separate agent API with different rules.
- Authorization is checked on the server.
- Material changes emit events with actor and provenance.
- Apps and agents invoke the same implementation.
Human review
A control may pause consequential work and create a durable approval in the work queue with the decision, context, and evidence a reviewer needs. Approval is a backend and platform capability, not an invented helper in each tool.
Where logic belongs
- In the tool—rules about whether and how state may change.
- In the app—presentation and input gathering.
- In an agent—deciding which tools to use, never bypassing them.