Agent Tools — Simple Tools

Add tools to agents to extend capabilities. This file covers tools that work without external connections. For tools requiring connections/RBAC setup, see:

• Web Search tool — real-time public web search with citations (default for web search)
• Bing Grounding tool — web search via dedicated Bing resource (only when explicitly requested)
• Azure AI Search tool — private data grounding with vector search
• MCP tool — remote Model Context Protocol servers

Code Interpreter

Enables agents to write and run Python in a sandboxed environment. Supports data analysis, chart generation, and file processing. Has additional charges beyond token-based fees.

Sessions: 1-hour active / 30-min idle timeout. Each conversation = separate billable session.

For code samples, see: Code Interpreter tool documentation

Function Calling

Define custom functions the agent can invoke. Your app executes the function and returns results. Runs expire 10 minutes after creation — return tool outputs promptly.

Security: Treat tool arguments as untrusted input. Don't pass secrets in tool output. Use strict=True for schema validation.

For code samples, see: Function Calling tool documentation

Tool Summary

⚠️ Default for web search: Use WebSearchPreviewTool unless the user explicitly requests Bing Grounding or Bing Custom Search.

Combine multiple tools on one agent. The model decides which to invoke.

References

• Tool Catalog
• Code Interpreter
• Function Calling