Tool hints
Every tool has a hint that describes the action it takes: reading, creating, updating or deleting. In sessions, you can use these hints to configure the tools available in the session.
Hints
| Hint | The tool | For example |
|---|---|---|
readOnlyHint | Reads data without changing anything. This includes tools that search, list, compute or export data. | Fetch emails, list pull requests, export a report |
createHint | Adds something new, such as a message, record or file. It doesn't change anything that already exists. | Send an email, create an issue |
updateHint | Changes something that already exists, such as its content or settings. It doesn't delete anything. | Edit an issue, rename a file |
destructiveHint | Deletes something, such as a file, record or repository. A tool that can delete something has this hint, even if it also creates or updates. | Delete a file, delete a repository |
How tools get hints
Composio assigns hints on a best-effort basis, based on each tool's description and behavior. For MCP tools, Composio infers them from the tool's description and the hints the MCP server provides.
Using hints in a session
A session can allow, block or require approval for tools by their hint, and override this for specific toolkits:
- To block tools, see Filtering tools by tags.
- To require approval, see Approvals.
Next
Approvals
Require the user's approval before tools run.