A tool is a workflow definition published as a callable capability for external AI agents. Each published tool exposes the workflow's name, description, and input schema in a format compatible with the Anthropic and OpenAI tool use APIs.

The model

A tool has three fields:

  • Name — the workflow handle. Stable across publish/unpublish cycles.
  • Description — a human-readable summary of what the tool does.
  • Input schema — a JSON Schema Draft 7 object describing the inputs the workflow accepts.

Publish a workflow as a tool from the workflow editor. Invoking a tool starts a workflow run. The invocation waits synchronously up to timeout_seconds (default 30 s, max 120 s). When the run completes within that window, the response carries the run output. When it does not, the response includes the run ID and status: pending; poll for the result using the run ID.

Invoking a tool from an agent

curl -X POST "$MOBIUS_BASE_URL/v1/projects/acme/tools/summarize-document/runs" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MOBIUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"input": {"doc_id": "doc_abc123"}, "timeout_seconds": 60}'

Mobius starts the summarize-document workflow with inputs.doc_id set to doc_abc123 and waits up to 60 seconds. A 200 response includes the completed run output. A 202 response means the run did not finish in time; poll GET /v1/projects/acme/tools/summarize-document/runs/{run_id} until status is completed or failed.

Lifecycle

A tool run moves through these states:

StateEntered whenLeft when
pendingRun is created but not yet executingFirst step begins
runningFirst step beginsAll steps finish or a step fails
completedAll steps finish successfully
failedA step fails without recovery
suspendedRun pauses waiting for a signal or interactionRun resumes

Where you see it

  • DashboardProjects → <project> → Tools lists every published tool with its description and input fields.
  • API — the Tools tag group covers listTools, runTool, and getToolRun.

See also

  • Workflows — the definitions published as tools.
  • Runs — the execution a tool invocation creates.
  • Actions — what each step in the underlying workflow does.
  • Triggers — an alternative way to start a workflow run.