LESSON 7.2 · Engineering · 110 min
Tool calling and structured output
Tool calling and structured output. Learn schemas, validation, idempotency, and side effects and complete: Implement a safe tool layer with retries. Part of the “From Models to Int
Learning objectives
- Explain what problem “Tool calling and structured output” solves without hiding behind terminology.
- Trace the variables and causal links across schemas, validation, idempotency.
- Complete “Implement a safe tool layer with retries” and judge the result with evidence rather than intuition.
Core concepts
schemas
schemas is part of the lesson’s causal model. State its inputs, outputs, invariants, and failure mode; then verify it with a hand-check or a minimal experiment before moving to an optimized implementation.
validation
validation is part of the lesson’s causal model. State its inputs, outputs, invariants, and failure mode; then verify it with a hand-check or a minimal experiment.
idempotency
idempotency is part of the lesson’s causal model. State its inputs, outputs, invariants, and failure mode; then verify it with a hand-check or a minimal experiment.
and side effects
and side effects is part of the lesson’s causal model. State its inputs, outputs, invariants, and failure mode; then verify it with a hand-check or a minimal experiment.
Build and verify
Implement a safe tool layer with retries
- Predict: write the expected output, trend, or failure before running code.
- Build: implement only the minimum components needed to answer the question.
- Verify: compare with a baseline or trusted implementation; save seeds, parameters, and raw outputs.
- Transfer: change one shape, dataset, scale, or workload condition and explain whether the conclusion still holds.