How Tools Work

PostQode uses tools to interact with your code and environment. These specialized helpers perform specific actions like reading files, making edits, running commands, or searching your codebase. Tools provide automation for common development tasks without requiring manual execution.

Tool Workflow

Describe what you want to accomplish in natural language, and PostQode will:

1. Select the appropriate tool based on your request
2. Present the tool with its parameters for your review
3. Execute the approved tool and show you the results
4. Continue this process until your task is complete

Tool Categories

Category	Purpose	Tool Names
Read	Access file content and code structure	read_file, search_files, list_files, list_code_definition_names
Edit	Create or modify files and code	write_to_file, apply_patch
Execute	Run commands and perform system operations	execute_command
Workflow	Manage task flow and context	ask_followup_question, attempt_completion, new_task
MCP & Extensions	Dynamically extended capabilities via connected servers	Tools provided by active MCP Servers

Browser Interactions & Mode Switching

• Web Automation: Rather than a generic tool call, web interactions and browser workflows are handled natively by the dedicated Web Agent.
• Mode Switching: Toggling between Plan Mode and Agent Mode is controlled directly by the user using the mode toggle at the bottom of the chat interface.

Example: Using Tools

Here's how a typical tool interaction works: User: Create a file named greeting.js that logs a greeting message

PostQode: (Proposes the write_to_file tool)

<write_to_file>
<path>greeting.js</path>
<content>
function greet(name) {
  console.log(`Hello, ${name}!`);
}

greet('World');
</content>
<line_count>5</line_count>
</write_to_file>

User: (Clicks "Save" in the interface)

PostQode: (Confirms file creation)

Tool Safety and Approval

Every tool use requires your explicit approval. When PostQode proposes a tool, you'll see:

• A "Save" button to approve and execute the tool
• A "Reject" button to decline the proposed tool
• An optional "Auto-approve" setting for trusted operations

This safety mechanism ensures you maintain control over which files are modified, what commands are executed, and how your codebase is changed. Always review tool proposals carefully before saving them.

Core Tools Reference

Tool Name	Description	Category
read_file	Reads the content of a file with line numbers	Read
search_files	Searches for text or regex patterns across files	Read
list_files	Lists files and directories in a specified location	Read
list_code_definition_names	Lists code definitions like classes and functions	Read
write_to_file	Creates new files or overwrites existing files	Edit
apply_patch	Applies surgical patch modifications to existing files	Edit
execute_command	Runs commands in the VS Code terminal	Execute
ask_followup_question	Asks you a clarifying question	Workflow
attempt_completion	Indicates the task is complete	Workflow
new_task	Creates a new subtask with a specific starting mode	Workflow

Tool Execution in PostQode

PostQode agents automatically orchestrate these built-in tools based on your instructions. Tool execution is monitored and logged in real-time within your active task session.