Recipe config to limit tool availability #4020

jsibbison-square · 2025-08-12T01:02:01Z

When building recipes we usually have in mind a specific set of tools that we expect the agent to use to achieve the recipes goal. However many mcp extensions have a lot of irrelevant tools for our purpose. For example if we want to find and read files the developer extension is useful but we have no need of image processing, listing windows and screen capture tools.

Less tools are better for agents so having a way to filter out tools from mcps saves us from having to re-write specific mcps for the recipe.

This PR introduces tool config with visibility being the specific feature:

extensions:
  - type: builtin
    name: developer
    available_tools:
      - bash
      ... the rest of the unspecified tools will be unavailable

When a tool as set as not available then it will be entirely hidden from goose (not returned from get_prefixed_tools). If the llm still makes a tool call with a tool name that is not available then it will receive an error back like when a tool is not found.

lifeizhou-ap · 2025-08-13T02:38:50Z

I feel having both tools_are_visible_default and tools -> tool_name -> visible is a bit confusing to users.
Shall we make it simpler by using one configuration? for example:

allowed_tools: 
 - bash
 - screen_capture

if the user include a wrong tool name (non exist tool), I guess it will fail silently? Just wondering whether the user should know about it?

jsibbison-square · 2025-08-13T02:51:52Z

@lifeizhou-ap

I feel having both tools_are_visible_default and tools -> tool_name -> visible is a bit confusing to users.
Shall we make it simpler by using one configuration? for example:
allowed_tools: 
 - bash
 - screen_capture

Yeah 2 things:

I wanted to stay away from permission related words like 'allowed' because I see other agents using their own permissions settings for each tool
so maybe visible_tools to keep on the visibility theme.
I definately thought about this simpler structure and I'm still open to it. The reason I landed on an object was because it made it possible to easily extend for tool permissions, like what claude code settings and amp permissions does. What do you think about allowing for extendability via an object?

if the user include a wrong tool name (non exist tool), I guess it will fail silently? Just wondering whether the user should know about it?

Definately true. This is definately a power user tool atm as you have to have figured out what the tools are actually called, I think we can evolve the usability of it as we see more customer feedback.

lifeizhou-ap · 2025-08-14T05:21:25Z

@lifeizhou-ap
I feel having both tools_are_visible_default and tools -> tool_name -> visible is a bit confusing to users.
Shall we make it simpler by using one configuration? for example:
allowed_tools: 
 - bash
 - screen_capture
Yeah 2 things:

I wanted to stay away from permission related words like 'allowed' because I see other agents using their own permissions settings for each tool
so maybe visible_tools to keep on the visibility theme.

👍

I definately thought about this simpler structure and I'm still open to it. The reason I landed on an object was because it made it possible to easily extend for tool permissions, like what claude code settings and amp permissions does. What do you think about allowing for extendability via an object?

Can we have separate permissions block in the future to be handled separately? Or you would like to use permission style to expose them now?

jsibbison-square · 2025-08-14T05:28:19Z

@lifeizhou-ap
I feel having both tools_are_visible_default and tools -> tool_name -> visible is a bit confusing to users.
Shall we make it simpler by using one configuration? for example:
allowed_tools: 
 - bash
 - screen_capture
Yeah 2 things:

I wanted to stay away from permission related words like 'allowed' because I see other agents using their own permissions settings for each tool
so maybe visible_tools to keep on the visibility theme.
👍

I definately thought about this simpler structure and I'm still open to it. The reason I landed on an object was because it made it possible to easily extend for tool permissions, like what claude code settings and amp permissions does. What do you think about allowing for extendability via an object?

Can we have separate permissions block in the future to be handled separately? Or you would like to use permission style to expose them now?

Will change to visible_tools list as desired. We haven't discussed permissions so not going to introduce that into this.

…ol-visibility * origin/main: (43 commits) docs: Blog - How I Used Goose to Rebuild My Website (#4076) docs: custom context file names (#4077) Blog: How Pulse MCP Used Goose to Automate Their Newsletter (#4075) Load recipe deeplinks in single window when app is closed (#4048) docs: make accurate the comments with links to unsigned builds of the app (#4070) cleanup memory in chat (#4073) CLI: improve model selection ux (#4071) speed up loading extensions by loading in parallel (#4054) fix(build): feed electronforge the icon explicitly for linux (#4045) Docs: Troubleshooting tip - Nodejs path on windows (#4065) fix: flag out uncompilable bit in windows (#4068) ci: fix docs-only filter to properly skip tests for documentation changes (#4066) fix: ctrl-C interruption in the CLI (#4057) docs: mcp-ui support (#4049) fix: delete dialog layout (#4037) ci: fix markdown file pattern to skip builds for all .md files (#4061) docs: add window title (#4059) blog: cleaning up some posts (#4050) fix: this should be a debug message not a warn (#4024) Better provider logging (#4052) ...

jsibbison-square · 2025-08-14T09:58:43Z

Actually I think available_tools is better than visible_tools

jsibbison-square · 2025-08-14T11:12:43Z

Updated to use an available_tools list and also error 'not found' if llm tries to call a tool that is unavailable.

…ol-visibility * origin/main: (26 commits) feat: adds cursor-agent as a cli provider (#4101) chore: remove vector search tool selection strategy (#3933) docs: add streamable_http install links (#4130) feat: iterating on summarize oneshot prompt (#4113) feat(mcp): Persist OAuth credentials to keyring (#4007) Sanitize Tags Unicode Block at prompt level (#4047) Fixing typos (#4114) chore(release): release version 1.4.0 (#4069) E2E tests working again (#4103) chore: Delete ARCHITECTURE.md (#4108) Add Youtube short to Kiwi MCP tutorial (#4107) docs: fix experimental warning (#4102) fix not being able to add spaces to activity message area (#4055) remove and cleanup unused code (#4074) docs: Add missing references to smart_approve mode. (#4094) quick typo fix pulse blog (#4095) fix: update dictation settings handling and improve user feedback (#4093) chore: add info tooltip to share session button (#4038) Reroute routes (#4088) fix(cli): fix compiling issue on windows system by adding a missing param (#4019) ...

github-actions · 2025-08-18T05:38:07Z

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2025-08-18 06:16 UTC

…-messaging * 'main' of github.com:block/goose: (26 commits) fix: consistent font sizing in ToolCallWithResponse (#4167) Temporarily disable TODO Tool (#4158) docs: add integrated MCP server config to jetbrains tutorial (#4120) docs: remove figma MCP from suggested servers (#4123) Blog: The AI Skeptic’s Guide to Context Windows (#4152) Docs: Auto-compact context (#4116) chore(deps): bump brace-expansion from 1.1.11 to 1.1.12 in /documentation (#4149) Recipe config to limit tool availability (#4020) docs: fix warning message (#4148) feat: adds cursor-agent as a cli provider (#4101) chore: remove vector search tool selection strategy (#3933) docs: add streamable_http install links (#4130) feat: iterating on summarize oneshot prompt (#4113) feat(mcp): Persist OAuth credentials to keyring (#4007) Sanitize Tags Unicode Block at prompt level (#4047) Fixing typos (#4114) chore(release): release version 1.4.0 (#4069) E2E tests working again (#4103) chore: Delete ARCHITECTURE.md (#4108) Add Youtube short to Kiwi MCP tutorial (#4107) ...

…ackages * 'main' of github.com:block/goose: fix: consistent font sizing in ToolCallWithResponse (#4167) Temporarily disable TODO Tool (#4158) docs: add integrated MCP server config to jetbrains tutorial (#4120) docs: remove figma MCP from suggested servers (#4123) Blog: The AI Skeptic’s Guide to Context Windows (#4152) Docs: Auto-compact context (#4116) chore(deps): bump brace-expansion from 1.1.11 to 1.1.12 in /documentation (#4149) Recipe config to limit tool availability (#4020) docs: fix warning message (#4148) feat: adds cursor-agent as a cli provider (#4101) chore: remove vector search tool selection strategy (#3933) docs: add streamable_http install links (#4130) # Conflicts: # ui/desktop/src/components/MarkdownContent.tsx

* main: (67 commits) blog: Transforming AI Assistance with Goose Mentor Mode (#4151) upgraded all npm packages and fixed related issues (#4072) Docs: @-mentions in goosehints (#4171) fix: consistent font sizing in ToolCallWithResponse (#4167) Temporarily disable TODO Tool (#4158) docs: add integrated MCP server config to jetbrains tutorial (#4120) docs: remove figma MCP from suggested servers (#4123) Blog: The AI Skeptic’s Guide to Context Windows (#4152) Docs: Auto-compact context (#4116) chore(deps): bump brace-expansion from 1.1.11 to 1.1.12 in /documentation (#4149) Recipe config to limit tool availability (#4020) docs: fix warning message (#4148) feat: adds cursor-agent as a cli provider (#4101) chore: remove vector search tool selection strategy (#3933) docs: add streamable_http install links (#4130) feat: iterating on summarize oneshot prompt (#4113) feat(mcp): Persist OAuth credentials to keyring (#4007) Sanitize Tags Unicode Block at prompt level (#4047) Fixing typos (#4114) chore(release): release version 1.4.0 (#4069) ...

…npm-cacheing * 'main' of github.com:block/goose: Unlist figma tutorial (#4186) feat(ui): Implement in-place message editing with re-response (#3798) Retry all 500 codes (#4160) blog: Transforming AI Assistance with Goose Mentor Mode (#4151) upgraded all npm packages and fixed related issues (#4072) Docs: @-mentions in goosehints (#4171) fix: consistent font sizing in ToolCallWithResponse (#4167) Temporarily disable TODO Tool (#4158) docs: add integrated MCP server config to jetbrains tutorial (#4120) docs: remove figma MCP from suggested servers (#4123) Blog: The AI Skeptic’s Guide to Context Windows (#4152) Docs: Auto-compact context (#4116) chore(deps): bump brace-expansion from 1.1.11 to 1.1.12 in /documentation (#4149) Recipe config to limit tool availability (#4020) docs: fix warning message (#4148) feat: adds cursor-agent as a cli provider (#4101) chore: remove vector search tool selection strategy (#3933) docs: add streamable_http install links (#4130)

* 'main' of github.com:block/goose: (51 commits) Fix tests from upstream changes and add testing to lint staged and ci (#4127) Unlist figma tutorial (#4186) feat(ui): Implement in-place message editing with re-response (#3798) Retry all 500 codes (#4160) blog: Transforming AI Assistance with Goose Mentor Mode (#4151) upgraded all npm packages and fixed related issues (#4072) Docs: @-mentions in goosehints (#4171) fix: consistent font sizing in ToolCallWithResponse (#4167) Temporarily disable TODO Tool (#4158) docs: add integrated MCP server config to jetbrains tutorial (#4120) docs: remove figma MCP from suggested servers (#4123) Blog: The AI Skeptic’s Guide to Context Windows (#4152) Docs: Auto-compact context (#4116) chore(deps): bump brace-expansion from 1.1.11 to 1.1.12 in /documentation (#4149) Recipe config to limit tool availability (#4020) docs: fix warning message (#4148) feat: adds cursor-agent as a cli provider (#4101) chore: remove vector search tool selection strategy (#3933) docs: add streamable_http install links (#4130) feat: iterating on summarize oneshot prompt (#4113) ... # Conflicts: # ui/desktop/src/App.test.tsx

Signed-off-by: Jack Wright <[email protected]>

jsibbison-square added 2 commits August 11, 2025 15:35

Recipe can specify which tools are visible in extensions

f7a01c2

Add test for visible get_prefixed_tools

d187d14

jsibbison-square requested review from Kvadratni, cloud-on-prem and lifeizhou-ap August 12, 2025 01:02

jsibbison-square added 2 commits August 12, 2025 11:18

fmt

dcd559f

update openapi schema

d251ad0

jsibbison-square marked this pull request as ready for review August 12, 2025 02:21

cloud-on-prem approved these changes Aug 13, 2025

View reviewed changes

jsibbison-square changed the title ~~Recipe config to limit tool visibility~~ Recipe config to limit tool availability Aug 14, 2025

jsibbison-square added 3 commits August 14, 2025 20:48

Switch from tools config to available_tools list

e2e80bb

Error if llm guesses an unavailable tool name

203481b

format

5fe212a

jsibbison-square added 2 commits August 18, 2025 15:19

Update doco for available_tools

64bf5a7

jsibbison-square requested a review from a team as a code owner August 18, 2025 05:35

blackgirlbytes approved these changes Aug 18, 2025

View reviewed changes

angiejones merged commit 4321180 into main Aug 18, 2025
16 of 17 checks passed

angiejones deleted the jsibbison-20250811-tool-visibility branch August 18, 2025 06:14

This was referenced Aug 18, 2025

chore(release): release version 1.5.0 #4154

Closed

chore(release): release version 1.5.0 #4169

Merged

ayax79 pushed a commit to ayax79/goose that referenced this pull request Aug 21, 2025

Recipe config to limit tool availability (block#4020)

a697bff

Signed-off-by: Jack Wright <[email protected]>

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