Built-in tools

Every session starts with a small set of tools for reading, editing, running commands, and delegating. Codewhale loads specialized tools only when a task needs them, and your mode and approval setting still apply to all of them.

Tool contract and design rationale

read

path · offset? · limit?

write

path · content

edit

path · edits

bash

command · timeout?

agent · workflow

Delegate work and coordinate dependent phases.

todo_write

Replace the task list with content and status entries.

create_goal · get_goal · update_goal

Create, inspect and update the active goal.

load_skill

Load a skill by exact name, or pass query to search the catalogue.

tool_search

Discover policy-allowed tools. Each child has its own search and activation cache.

Git · Run · tasks · remember · Web · MCP · plugins

Deferred: loaded by tool_search only when policy permits.

8 names / 16 KiB

Conversation toolbox cache; independent per child and revalidated every turn.

Web search/fetch

Scout and Reviewer children can discover these without gaining mutation or arbitrary network authority.

MCP

mcp_<server>_<tool> — registered from ~/.codewhale/mcp.json.

Replay compatibility

Legacy names remain only for saved transcripts and protocol clients. Exact old calls retain their handlers but stay out of new catalogs and tool_search. Unknown names are never guessed or rewritten.

docs/RUNTIME_SIMPLIFICATION_DESIGN.md →