> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nika.sh/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# tools

> Contract, placement, related fields and source examples for this Nika YAML field.

[Language reference](/reference/language/overview) / `tools`

## Meaning and placement

### → permits

Allowed nika:/mcp: tool ids · globs ok.

| Property        | Declaration                            |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Requirement     | Optional in this object                |
| Schema location | `/properties/permits/properties/tools` |
| type            | "array"                                |

**In the same object:** [env](/reference/language/words/env) · [exec](/reference/language/words/exec) · [fs](/reference/language/words/fs) · [net](/reference/language/words/net)

[Schema source (use the pointer above)](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/schemas/workflow.schema.json)

### agent

Whitelist · DEFAULT-DENY (no tools if absent) · gitignore-style globs · `!` negation.

| Property        | Declaration                     |
| --------------- | ------------------------------- |
| Requirement     | Optional in this object         |
| Schema location | `/$defs/agent/properties/tools` |
| type            | "array"                         |

**In the same object:** [max\_tokens\_total](/reference/language/words/max_tokens_total) · [max\_turns](/reference/language/words/max_turns) · [model](/reference/language/words/model) · [prompt](/reference/language/words/prompt) · [schema](/reference/language/words/schema) · [skills](/reference/language/words/skills) · [system](/reference/language/words/system) · [temperature](/reference/language/words/temperature)

[Schema source (use the pointer above)](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/schemas/workflow.schema.json)

## In a source template

Excerpt from `templates/agent-loop.nika.yaml`, source lines 50–59. This is a fragment, not a runnable workflow.

```yaml illustration theme={"system"}
permits:                            # the blast radius · default-deny once present
  # Exactly what the body invokes: `nika:assert` (the confirm task) plus the
  # two the agent may call. No `fs:` — see the note on `tools:` below.
  tools: ["nika:assert", "nika:done", "nika:jq"]

tasks:
  plan:
    infer:
      prompt: "Break '${{ inputs.goal }}' into at most 4 concrete steps."   # SLOT
      # SLOT: the spend ceiling for the planning call. Size it for the SEAT,
```

### Templates containing this field

| Template                                    | Source                                                                                                                                            |
| ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `templates/agent-loop.nika.yaml`            | [Line 53](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/agent-loop.nika.yaml#L53)            |
| `templates/api-upload-and-create.nika.yaml` | [Line 52](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/api-upload-and-create.nika.yaml#L52) |
| `templates/chain.nika.yaml`                 | [Line 37](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/chain.nika.yaml#L37)                 |
| `templates/classify-and-route.nika.yaml`    | [Line 74](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/classify-and-route.nika.yaml#L74)    |
| `templates/corpus-qa.nika.yaml`             | [Line 29](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/corpus-qa.nika.yaml#L29)             |
| `templates/docker-report.nika.yaml`         | [Line 41](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/docker-report.nika.yaml#L41)         |
| `templates/document-to-fields.nika.yaml`    | [Line 35](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/document-to-fields.nika.yaml#L35)    |
| `templates/etl-state.nika.yaml`             | [Line 55](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/etl-state.nika.yaml#L55)             |
| `templates/fanout.nika.yaml`                | [Line 71](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/fanout.nika.yaml#L71)                |
| `templates/gate-and-act.nika.yaml`          | [Line 33](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/gate-and-act.nika.yaml#L33)          |
| `templates/human-gated-ship.nika.yaml`      | [Line 62](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/human-gated-ship.nika.yaml#L62)      |
| `templates/media-asset-pack.nika.yaml`      | [Line 40](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/media-asset-pack.nika.yaml#L40)      |
| `templates/website-brief.nika.yaml`         | [Line 42](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/website-brief.nika.yaml#L42)         |

These are literal key occurrences in the source files, not an execution or conformance claim. [How to instantiate a template](/guides/templates).

## Contract and implementation

This page projects the named specification revision. Check [released engine status](/reference/status) and [the validation workflow](/guides/agent-authoring) before running a file. An optional field is not evidence that every engine supports every value.

Canonical identity: `language:word:tools`. Spec revision: [`c5ebbb7b862b`](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/tree/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6).

[How documentation stays connected](/reference/knowledge-system).