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Tools are the building blocks that give your agents the ability to interact with external systems, process data, and perform complex operations. PLai Framework supports various tool types, each designed for specific use cases.

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Available Tool Types

Agent Tool

Trigger another agent as a tool Default

Workflow

Run a predefined workflow with custom input Default

API Request

Make HTTP requests to any REST API with full configuration control Default

Email

Send email messages through configured providers Default

Perplexity AI

Web search and research capabilities powered by Perplexity AI Pro

Web Search & Browser

Web scraping and browser automation with ScraperAPI integration Default

Office Documents

Generate and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF documents Default

External Data Source

Connect to external databases and data sources Pro

MCP Server

Connect to Model Context Protocol servers for extended functionality Preview

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Tool Status Levels

Understanding tool maturity helps you make informed decisions:
  • Production Ready: Thoroughly tested and stable
  • Full Support: Complete documentation and support
  • All Plans: Available on all subscription tiers
  • Examples: Agent Tool, Workflow, API Request, Email, Browser, Office Documents

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Tool Categories

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Agent Orchestration

Tools that enable agents to work together and manage workflows:
Purpose: Trigger another agent as a toolKey Features:
  • Call agents from other agents
  • Pass structured input and receive output
  • Reuse agent logic across workflows
  • Support for agent-to-agent communication
Use Cases:
  • Complex problem decomposition
  • Specialized agent routing
  • Multi-agent collaboration
  • Task delegation between agents
Purpose: Execute predefined workflows with custom inputKey Features:
  • Run multi-step workflows from agents
  • Pass input parameters and receive results
  • Wait for workflow completion
  • Integrate workflow logic into agents
Use Cases:
  • Complex process automation
  • Multi-step data processing
  • Workflow orchestration
  • Agent-triggered automation

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Communication Tools

Tools that enable agents to interact with external services and send messages:
Purpose: Connect to any REST API endpointKey Features:
  • Custom HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
  • Flexible header configuration
  • Request body templating
  • Response parsing and handling
Use Cases:
  • CRM integration (Salesforce, HubSpot)
  • Payment processing (Stripe, PayPal)
  • Notification services (Slack, Discord)
  • Custom internal APIs
Purpose: Send email messages through configured providersKey Features:
  • Dynamic recipient specification
  • Rich email content support
  • Multiple provider support
  • Email tracking and logging
Use Cases:
  • Customer notifications
  • Order confirmations
  • Alert emails
  • Follow-up communications
Purpose: Web search and research capabilitiesKey Features:
  • Multiple model options (Sonar, Sonar Pro, Sonar Reasoning)
  • Domain-specific search filtering
  • Real-time web information
  • Citation and source tracking
Use Cases:
  • Market research
  • News and current events
  • Fact-checking
  • Competitive analysis

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Processing Tools

Tools that enable data processing and document generation:
Purpose: Web scraping and browser automationKey Features:
  • ScraperAPI integration for reliable scraping
  • JavaScript rendering support
  • Beautiful Soup for HTML parsing
  • Rate limiting and proxy support
Use Cases:
  • Price monitoring
  • Content extraction
  • Website testing
  • Data collection
Purpose: Generate and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF documentsKey Features:
  • Multiple document type support (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, PDF)
  • Template-based generation
  • Dynamic content population
  • Professional formatting
Use Cases:
  • Report generation
  • Invoice creation
  • Presentation generation
  • Document automation

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Data Tools

Tools that provide access to external data sources and extensibility:
Purpose: Connect to databases and data sourcesKey Features:
  • Multiple database support (SQL, NoSQL)
  • Secure connection management
  • Query optimization
  • Real-time data access
Use Cases:
  • Customer data lookup
  • Inventory management
  • Analytics and reporting
  • Data synchronization
Purpose: Model Context Protocol server integrationKey Features:
  • Standardized protocol support
  • OAuth and token authentication
  • Remote server connections
  • Extensible architecture
Use Cases:
  • Custom tool development
  • Enterprise integrations
  • Third-party service connections
  • Distributed architectures

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Tool Configuration

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General Configuration Process

All tools follow a similar configuration pattern:
1

Select Tool Type

Choose the appropriate tool type for your use case
2

Configure Parameters

Fill in required and optional configuration parameters
3

Test Connection

Verify the tool works correctly with test inputs
4

Add to Agent

Assign the tool to one or more agents
5

Monitor Usage

Track tool performance and usage through analytics

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Common Configuration Options

Most tools share these configuration elements:
  • Name: Human-readable identifier for the tool
  • Description: Purpose and functionality summary
  • Authentication: API keys, tokens, or credentials
  • Rate Limits: Request throttling and usage controls
  • Error Handling: Retry logic and fallback options
  • Logging: Activity tracking and debugging info

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Tool Security

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Authentication Methods

API Keys

Simple key-based authentication for most APIs

OAuth 2.0

Secure token-based authentication for enterprise APIs

Basic Auth

Username/password authentication for legacy systems

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Security Best Practices

Credential Security: Never expose API keys or credentials in tool descriptions or logs.
Environment Variables: Use environment variables or secure vaults for sensitive credentials.
  • Rotate Credentials: Regularly update API keys and access tokens
  • Minimal Permissions: Grant only necessary permissions to tools
  • Monitor Usage: Track tool usage for unusual activity
  • Audit Logs: Maintain logs of all tool interactions

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Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

Symptoms: 401 or 403 errors, access denied messagesSolutions:
  • Verify API keys and credentials
  • Check permission scopes
  • Confirm rate limits haven’t been exceeded
  • Review authentication method configuration
Symptoms: Request timeout errors, slow responsesSolutions:
  • Check network connectivity
  • Increase timeout values
  • Implement retry logic
  • Use connection pooling
Symptoms: Parsing errors, unexpected responsesSolutions:
  • Validate request/response formats
  • Check API documentation
  • Update tool configuration
  • Implement proper error handling

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Next Steps

Create Your First Tool

Start with the API Request tool

Tool Configuration Guide

Learn advanced tool configuration

Browse All Tools

Explore all available tool types

MCP Development

Build custom MCP servers