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

file_search

Find workspace files by name, path, or glob pattern.

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.

task_shell_wait

Poll or stop a background shell task by task_id.

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.

Read language-server diagnostics

After file edits, LSP diagnostics can report errors to the agent. Add a custom server by file extension under [lsp.custom]; install the server executable separately.

PHP and custom LSP server setup

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 →