How do I define a tool for the Claude API?

Give the tool a name , a clear description of when to use it, and an input_schema written as JSON Schema. Claude reads the description to decide whether and when to call the tool, so be specific about the trigger condition, not just what the tool does.

What happens when Claude wants to use a tool?

The response comes back with stop_reason: "tool_use" and one or more tool_use content blocks containing the tool name, input, and an ID. Execute the tool yourself, then send the result back as a tool_result block with a matching tool_use_id .

Should I use the SDK tool runner or write my own loop?

Use the tool runner for most custom-tool agents — it handles the call-execute-loop cycle automatically and still gives you hooks for approval gates and logging. Write a manual loop only when you need full control over the request shape or want to avoid the beta dependency.

How do I force Claude to call a specific tool?

Set tool_choice to {"type": "tool", "name": "your_tool"} to require that exact tool on the next turn. Use {"type": "any"} to require some tool call, or {"type": "none"} to disable tools mid-conversation.

Can Claude call more than one tool at once?

Yes — by default Claude can request multiple tool calls in a single turn, and your code should execute them and return every result in one combined message. Set disable_parallel_tool_use: true on tool_choice if your workflow needs exactly one tool call per turn. tool_calls = [b for b in message.content if b. type == "tool_use" ] for call in tool_calls: print (call.name, call. input , call. id )

Claude API Tool Use

Define a Tool

input_schema

Defines a tool's inputs as JSON Schema with a name and description.

tools = [{
    "name": "get_weather",
    "description": "Returns current weather for a given city.",
    "input_schema": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {"city": {"type": "string"}},
        "required": ["city"]
    }
}]

tools parameter

Passes the tools array to messages.create() alongside the prompt.

message = client.messages.create(
    model="claude-opus-4-8",
    max_tokens=1024,
    tools=tools,
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Weather in Tokyo?"}]
)

description field
Tells Claude exactly when to call the tool, not just what it does.
```
"description": "Call this when the user asks about current weather."
```
required array
Marks which input fields Claude must always provide.
```
"required": ["city"]
```

The Agentic Loop

tool_use stop_reason

Signals Claude wants to call a tool instead of finishing the reply.

if message.stop_reason == "tool_use":
    # extract tool calls, run them, send results back

extract tool calls
Filters the response content for tool_use blocks to find what Claude called.
```
tool_calls = [b for b in message.content if b.type == "tool_use"]
```

tool_result block

Packages a tool's output with the matching tool_use_id to send back.

tool_results.append({
    "type": "tool_result",
    "tool_use_id": call.id,
    "content": str(result)
})

loop until end_turn
Repeats the call-execute-respond cycle until Claude stops calling tools.
```
while message.stop_reason == "tool_use":
    message = client.messages.create(...)
```

SDK Tool Runner

@beta_tool

Turns a plain Python function into a tool with an auto-generated schema.

from anthropic.lib.beta import beta_tool

@beta_tool
def get_weather(city: str) -> str:
    """Returns current weather for a given city."""
    return f"Sunny, 22C in {city}"

tool_runner()

Runs the full call-execute-loop cycle automatically until Claude is done.

runner = client.beta.messages.tool_runner(
    model="claude-opus-4-8",
    max_tokens=1024,
    tools=[get_weather],
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Weather in Tokyo?"}]
)

until_done()
Blocks until the loop finishes and returns Claude's final response.
```
final_message = runner.until_done()
print(final_message.content[0].text)
```

Tool Choice Control

tool_choice: auto
Lets Claude decide whether to call a tool; this is the default.
```
tool_choice={"type": "auto"}
```
tool_choice: tool
Forces Claude to call one specific named tool on this turn.
```
tool_choice={"type": "tool", "name": "get_weather"}
```
tool_choice: none
Disables tool calls mid-conversation once you have the data you need.
```
tool_choice={"type": "none"}
```
disable_parallel_tool_use
Forces exactly one tool call per turn when call order matters.
```
tool_choice={"type": "auto", "disable_parallel_tool_use": True}
```