git:20260317.23378c6 to git:20260318.233330d
6 added, 10 removed. Audit A to A.
# Tools - Agent Instructions
- ## No New Tools Policy
-
- **New tool registrations require approval from Team Jarvis.**
-
- The tool registration system (`class ... implements Tool` + `registerTool()`) is being phased out in favor of skill-based approaches. Before adding a new tool, contact Team Jarvis for approval.
+ ## New Non-Skill Tools Are Strongly Discouraged
- ## Why This Policy Exists
+ **Prefer skills over new non-skill tool registrations.** Non-skill tools require approval from Team Jarvis.
- 1. **Skills are preferred** - The project direction is to teach the assistant CLI tools via skills rather than hardcoding tool implementations. Skills are progressively disclosed into context, are more portable, and are often self-contained.
+ Skills are the preferred approach for adding new capabilities — they are progressively disclosed into context, more portable, and can be iterated on independently. New non-skill tool registrations (`class ... implements Tool` + `registerTool()`) carry additional costs:
- 2. **Context overhead** - Each registered tool adds to the system prompt and increases token usage for every conversation.
+ 1. **Context overhead** — Each registered tool adds to the system prompt and increases token usage for every conversation.
- 3. **Maintenance burden** - Tools require ongoing maintenance, testing, and security review. Skills can be iterated on independently.
+ 2. **Maintenance burden** — Tools require ongoing maintenance, testing, and security review.
## What To Do Instead
Instead of creating a new tool, consider:
1. **Create a skill**
2. **Use existing tools** - Many capabilities can be achieved by combining existing tools (bash, file operations, network tools) with skill instructions.
3. **External CLI tools** - If you need new functionality, consider whether it can be exposed as a CLI tool that the assistant can invoke via bash.
## Approved Exception: Credential Execution Service (CES) Tools
- The following three CES tools are the only approved exception to the no-new-tools policy:
+ The following three CES tools are approved exceptions that justify tool registrations over skills:
| Tool | Purpose |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `run_authenticated_command` | Execute a shell command with credential env vars injected by CES across a hard process boundary |
| `make_authenticated_request` | Execute an authenticated HTTP request with credentials injected by CES; returns response body and status only |
| `manage_secure_command_tool` | Register and manage secure command tool bundles in the CES toolstore; handles bundle lifecycle (registration, unregistration) for manifest-driven commands |
These tools exist as `class ... implements Tool` registrations because:
- They enforce hard process-boundary isolation - credential values are materialized only inside the CES process (`credential-executor/` package), never in the assistant process
- Skills run inside the assistant process and cannot provide this isolation guarantee
- The tools are thin RPC stubs; actual credential materialization and execution logic lives in the separate `credential-executor/` package
**Key constraints**:
- CES is a **separate package and image** - no direct source imports from `assistant/` to `credential-executor/` or vice versa
- **Grants and audit logs are CES-owned** durable state - the assistant never reads or writes CES grant or audit tables directly
- `host_bash` is **outside the strong CES secrecy guarantee** - it does not enforce credential isolation
- Secure generic authenticated HTTP **must not** run through `run_authenticated_command` - use `make_authenticated_request` instead, which enforces domain validation and produces structured audit logs
- Managed rollout requires a **third runtime image** (alongside assistant and gateway) and `vembda` pod-template changes
See [`assistant/docs/credential-execution-service.md`](../../docs/credential-execution-service.md) for the full ADR.
## If You Have Approval
If Team Jarvis has approved your new tool:
1. The pre-commit hook will block your commit by default
2. Use `git commit --no-verify` to bypass the hook
3. Include the approval context in your PR description
## Questions?
Contact Team Jarvis before shipping a new tool.