What is Tool?
A function an AI agent can call to interact with the real world — its 'hands' for getting things done.
// Explanation
Without tools, an AI model can only generate text. With tools, it can act: search Google, execute code, read PDFs, send emails, query databases, make API calls, create files, post on social media — basically anything that can be done through software. Tools are what turn a chatbot into an agent. The MCP protocol standardizes how these tools connect to models, and each tool defines what parameters it needs and what it returns.
// Example
You tell Claude 'look up the weather in Madrid'. Without tools, it would say 'I can't access the internet'. With a web search tool, it actually looks up the weather and gives you the current data.