The TOOLS.md file serves as 📝OpenClaw's inventory of external capabilities and technical "hands." It provides the definitions, documentation, and usage instructions for the various 📝Application Programming Interface (API)s, functions, and software tools the bot is authorized to use. By referencing this file, OpenClaw knows exactly how to interact with the outside world—whether that means searching the web, executing code, or managing your calendar.
Tools are protocols and procedures — they describe how to do things using external systems. They're contextual instructions loaded into an agent's working memory: "when you need to search 📝MythOS, run this command," "when you need a browser, use the pool." Tools are knowledge, not self-contained units. They live inline in TOOLS.md and depend on the agent understanding and following the steps.