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Comis ships with 73 built-in agent tools spanning file operations, web access, messaging, scheduling, media processing, browser automation, context management, interactive terminal sessions, and administration. This page is the master reference — every tool listed with its category, description, and link to detailed documentation. When an agent receives a message, it decides which tools to use based on what you asked it to do. Need a daily briefing? The agent uses the cron tool. Want to send a message to another channel? It uses message. Need to analyze an image someone sent? It reaches for image_analyze. The tools listed below are everything your agents have at their disposal. Each tool is linked to its detailed guide page where you will find parameters, examples, and tips for effective use.

Understanding Tool Categories

Tools fall into three tiers:
TierCountDescription
Built-in tools73Core capabilities shipped with Comis — file operations, shell commands, web search, browser automation, messaging, scheduling, sessions, media, infrastructure, context, interactive terminal sessions, supervisor admin, and platform actions. Available on every agent unless restricted by tool policy.
MCP toolsConfigurableExternal Model Context Protocol servers — Anthropic’s reference servers, community-built MCP servers, and your own. Discovered at runtime and qualified with mcp:{server}/{tool} names. See MCP Management.
Custom skillsUnlimitedMarkdown-defined “mini-programs” with optional tool restrictions and bin/env requirements. Comis ships 7 built-in skills; you can author your own. See Skills.
Tool access is controlled by tool policy. By default, agents have access to all tools, but you can restrict access per agent using profiles (like coding or messaging) or fine-grained allow/deny lists.
All tool names use snake_case — for example, web_search, sessions_spawn, and memory_store. When referencing tools in configuration files (such as tool policy allow/deny lists), use these exact names.

Master Reference Table

Every tool your agents can use, organized by category. Click the guide link in any row to jump to the full documentation for that tool.

Files & Code (8 tools)

File and code tools are always available unless explicitly denied by tool policy. They can be individually toggled in config.yaml under the builtinTools section.
ToolDescriptionGuide
readRead file contents with line numbers and paginationBuilt-in Tools
writeCreate or overwrite files, auto-creates parent directoriesBuilt-in Tools
editStructured insert/replace/delete edits on existing filesBuilt-in Tools
notebook_editCell-level Jupyter notebook editingBuilt-in Tools
grepSearch file contents using ripgrep (auto-provisioned)Built-in Tools
findFind files using fd (auto-provisioned) or fallbackBuilt-in Tools
lsList directory contentsBuilt-in Tools
apply_patchApply unified diffs to filesBuilt-in Tools

Process & Execution (2 tools)

ToolDescriptionGuide
execSandboxed shell execution with restricted-binary policyBuilt-in Tools
processBackground process lifecycle (spawn, kill, status, logs)Built-in Tools

Terminal (Interactive Shell)

Interactive terminal sessions for driving allowlisted binaries (added in v2.11). Requires an operator-configured allowEntries allowlist — without a matching entry the tool rejects. Requires bubblewrap sandbox on Linux. See exec sandbox.
ToolDescriptionGuide
terminal_session_createStart an interactive terminal session driving an allowlisted binary.Built-in Tools
terminal_session_readRead buffered output from an active session (accumulated since last read).Built-in Tools
terminal_session_listList all active terminal sessions for the current agent.Built-in Tools
terminal_session_killTerminate an active terminal session and free its resources.Built-in Tools
terminal_session_send_textWrite text to a terminal session’s stdin (optionally submit with Enter after a settle).Built-in Tools
terminal_session_send_keySend named key chords (e.g., Enter, Ctrl-C, S-Tab) to a terminal session.Built-in Tools
terminal_session_resizeResize a terminal session’s pseudo-TTY (cols x rows).Built-in Tools
terminal_session_waitWait for a terminal session to produce matching output or a timeout.Built-in Tools
terminal_session_statusRegistered with final schema; execute rejects with [not_implemented] (stub).Built-in Tools

Web & Browser (3 tools)

ToolDescriptionGuide
web_searchWeb search across 8 providers (Brave, DuckDuckGo, Exa, Grok, Jina, Perplexity, SearXNG, Tavily) with optional fallback chainWeb Tools
web_fetchFetch a URL and extract readable content via Readability (SSRF-guarded)Web Tools
browserHeadless Chromium automation — 16 actions, 11 act sub-kindsBrowser

Scheduling

Scheduling tools let agents create automated tasks that run on a timer. Agents can set up recurring cron jobs, one-time reminders, and manage their own heartbeat — a periodic wake-up that triggers routine maintenance or check-in tasks.
ToolDescriptionGuide
cronCreate and manage scheduled jobsScheduling
heartbeat_manageConfigure agent heartbeat timing and triggersScheduling

Messaging

The message tool works across all connected channels — Discord, Telegram, Slack, WhatsApp, and every other supported platform. Agents can send new messages, reply to specific messages, add emoji reactions, edit or delete messages, fetch message history, and send file attachments. Agents can also send messages to channels they are not currently conversing in, making the message tool ideal for notifications, alerts, and cross-channel coordination.
ToolDescriptionGuide
messageSend, reply, react, edit, delete, fetch, and attach messagesMessaging
notify_userSend proactive notifications, alerts, and reminders to the userMessaging

Sessions & Sub-Agents

Session tools let agents manage their conversations, communicate with other agents, and spawn sub-agents for specialized tasks. For example, a lead agent can spawn a researcher sub-agent and a writer sub-agent to work in parallel.
ToolDescriptionGuide
session_searchSearch session history by querySessions
session_statusGet the current session statusSessions
sessions_historyRetrieve session history entriesSessions
sessions_listList all sessions for the current agentSessions
sessions_sendSend a message into another session in 3 modes (fire-and-forget, wait, ping-pong)Sessions
sessions_spawnSpawn a sub-agent session with workspace isolation, artifact refs, and an optional objectiveSessions
subagentsManage running sub-agents (list, kill, steer)Sessions

Pipelines (Execution Graphs)

The pipeline tool defines and runs multi-agent execution graphs (DAGs). Nodes run in parallel when independent, or wait for upstream nodes via depends_on. Comis ships 7 built-in node type driversagent, debate, vote, refine, collaborate, approval-gate, and map-reduce.
ToolDescriptionGuide
pipelineDefine, execute, save, load, list, delete, monitor, cancel, and read outputs from execution graphs (9 actions)Pipelines

Media

Media tools process images, audio, video, and documents. Agents can analyze images with vision AI, convert text to speech, transcribe voice messages, describe video content, and extract text from documents like PDFs. These tools require appropriate AI providers to be configured (for example, vision capabilities for image analysis, and STT providers for transcription).
ToolDescriptionGuide
image_analyzeVision AI image analysis (file, URL, base64, attachment)Media
tts_synthesizeText-to-speech audio generationMedia
transcribe_audioAudio and voice transcription to textMedia
describe_videoVideo description using vision AIMedia
extract_documentDocument text extraction (PDF, CSV, TXT, and more)Media
image_generateGenerate images from text prompts, delivered to the current channelMedia

Memory

Memory tools give agents access to their long-term memory. Agents automatically build up memory over time, but these tools let them explicitly search, read, and store information. Memory uses hybrid text and vector search for semantic matching, so agents can find relevant memories even with different wording.
ToolDescriptionGuide
memory_getRetrieve a memory entry by keySessions
memory_manageCreate, update, or delete memory entriesSessions
memory_searchSemantic search over agent memory (hybrid text + vector)Sessions
memory_storeStore a new memory entry (secret-detection guard applied)Sessions
memory_askGrounded natural-language answer over the agent’s recall pipeline. Default-on; disable per-agent with dialectic.enabled: false, or via the memory.costFeatures.enabled: false kill switch.Sessions

Context (3 tools)

In-session recovery tools over the DAG (LCD) context engine’s lossless store. Available when the agent runs in DAG mode (contextEngine.version: "dag"). They recover detail the summary hierarchy compressed away within this conversation — they are distinct from cross-session recall (memory_search / session_search), which they share no code with, and they never reach other sessions or tenants. All three are never-export (never reachable via the MCP server) and read-only. See Context Management.
ToolDescriptionDocumentation
ctx_searchFull-text search over THIS conversation’s compressed history (FTS with a LIKE fallback).Sessions
ctx_inspectInspect a summary’s metadata (depth, coverage, time-range) and its immediate children / covered-message count.Sessions
ctx_expandRecover (rehydrate) a compressed region back to its underlying messages; large output is written to a session file with a handle.Sessions

Infrastructure

These platform-management tools let agents inspect or modify the running Comis daemon. The gateway tool drives configuration and the secret store; background_tasks inspects the long-running task queue; mcp_manage reaches into the MCP client manager. See also: browser (listed under the Web and Browser section).
ToolDescriptionGuide
gatewayConfiguration management and gateway control (11 actions: read, patch, apply, restart, schema, status, history, diff, rollback, env_set, env_list)Infrastructure
background_tasksInspect and manage background task queue (list, get, cancel, read_output)Infrastructure
mcp_manageMCP server lifecycle (list, status, connect, disconnect, reconnect)Infrastructure
mcp_loginMCP provider OAuth login (e.g., for Higgsfield and other MCP services that require authentication)Infrastructure
get_promptFetch a named prompt from a connected MCP server. Conditional: active only when a connected server advertises prompts.Infrastructure
list_promptsList available prompts from connected MCP servers. Conditional: active only when a connected server advertises prompts.Infrastructure
list_resourcesList available resources from connected MCP servers. Conditional: active only when a connected server advertises resources.Infrastructure
read_resourceRead a specific resource from a connected MCP server. Conditional: active only when a connected server advertises resources.Infrastructure

Supervisor

Supervisor tools require admin-level trust. They manage the entire platform, not just the current agent’s session. Only agents with the supervisor profile or explicit allow entries can use these tools.
Supervisor tools can modify agents, delete sessions, flush memory, and manage gateway tokens. Grant these tools only to trusted agents that need fleet-wide control. See tool policy for how to restrict access.
ToolDescriptionGuide
agents_manageAgent fleet management (create, get, update, delete, suspend, resume)Infrastructure
obs_queryObservability and metrics queries (diagnostics, billing, delivery, channels)Infrastructure
sessions_manageSession lifecycle management (delete, reset, export, compact)Infrastructure
channels_manageChannel adapter management (list, get, enable, disable, restart, configure)Infrastructure
tokens_manageGateway token management (list, create, revoke, rotate)Infrastructure
models_manageModel catalog queries (list, test)Infrastructure
providers_manageManage model provider configurations (add, remove, update providers)Infrastructure
skills_manageSkill lifecycle management (list, import, delete) with per-agent scopeInfrastructure
See also: heartbeat_manage (listed under the Scheduling section).

Platform Actions

Platform action tools perform moderation and administration tasks specific to each messaging platform. Each tool wraps the native API of its platform, letting agents kick users, manage roles, pin messages, create channels, and more — all from within a conversation. The available actions vary by platform. See the Platform Actions guide for the full list of actions per platform.
ToolActionsGuide
discord_action19 actions: server moderation (kick, ban, role_add/remove, set_topic, set_slowmode, guild/channel info, threadCreate/List/Reply, channelCreate/Edit/Delete/Move, pin/unpin, setPresence)Platform Actions
telegram_action12 actions: chat info & moderation (pin/unpin, poll, sticker, chat_info, member_count, get_admins, set_title, set_description, ban/unban, promote)Platform Actions
slack_action12 actions: workspace management (pin/unpin, set_topic, set_purpose, archive/unarchive, create_channel, invite, kick, channel_info, members_list, bookmark_add)Platform Actions
whatsapp_action11 actions: group management (group_info, group_update_subject/description, group_participants_add/remove, group_promote/demote, group_settings, group_invite_code, profile_status, group_leave)Platform Actions

Channel Messaging Capability Matrix

The message tool works across all 9 connected channels, but not every action is supported everywhere. The matrix below summarizes per-channel capabilities — consult the Channels Overview for full per-channel detail.
ChannelSendReplyReactEditDeleteFetch HistoryThreadsStreaming
DiscordYesYesYesYesYesYesNativeEdit
TelegramYesYesYesYesYesNoForum topicsEdit
SlackYesYesYesYesYesYesReply chainEdit
WhatsAppYesYes (quoted)YesYesOwn onlyNoNoneBlock
SignalYesYes (quoted)YesNoYesNoNoneBlock
iMessageYesNoNoNoNoYesNoneNone
LINEYesYes (push)NoNoNoNoNoneNone
IRCYesMention onlyNoNoNoNoNoneNone
EmailYesYes (headers)NoNoNoNoReply chainNone
“Streaming” indicates how live agent output is delivered: Edit means the agent edits a placeholder message as content streams in; Block means the agent buffers and emits complete chunks; None means no streaming support (the agent waits for the full reply).

Quick Access by Use Case

Not sure which tool you need? Start here. The table below maps common tasks to the specific tool and action that handles them. Each row links to the detailed guide page where you can find parameters, examples, and tips.
I want to…Use this toolGuide
Send a message to a channelmessage (action: send)Messaging
Send an alert that respects quiet hoursnotify_userMessaging
Schedule a daily taskcron (action: add, schedule_kind: cron)Scheduling
Set a one-time remindercron (action: add, schedule_kind: at)Scheduling
Run something every N minutescron (action: add, schedule_kind: every)Scheduling
Delegate work to another agentsessions_spawnSessions
Run a multi-step workflowpipeline (action: execute)Pipelines
Have multiple agents debate or votepipeline (with type_id: debate or vote)Pipelines
Analyze an uploaded imageimage_analyzeMedia
Generate an imageimage_generateMedia
Transcribe a voice messagetranscribe_audioMedia
Speak a reply with TTStts_synthesize then message action attachMedia
Search the webweb_searchWeb Tools
Read a single web pageweb_fetchWeb Tools
Scrape a JavaScript-heavy sitebrowser (navigate, snapshot, act)Browser
Kick a user from Discorddiscord_action (action: kick)Platform Actions
Pin the first message of the daydiscord_action / telegram_action / slack_action (action: pin)Platform Actions
Remember something for latermemory_storeSessions
Read a PDF attachmentextract_documentMedia
Check what’s scheduledcron (action: list)Scheduling
Toggle a config valuegateway (action: patch then apply)Infrastructure
Connect a new MCP servermcp_manage (action: connect)Infrastructure

Tool Guides

Explore each tool category in detail:

Scheduling

Cron jobs, heartbeat timing, and automated tasks

Messaging

Send, reply, react, edit, and delete messages

Sessions

Sessions, sub-agents, and long-term memory

Pipelines

Multi-agent execution graphs (DAGs) with 7 node types

Media

Image analysis, text-to-speech, transcription, and documents

Infrastructure

Configuration, gateway control, and fleet management

Browser

Headless browser automation and web interaction

Web Tools

Web search across 8 providers and content fetching

Platform Actions

Discord, Telegram, Slack, and WhatsApp moderation