## Why The previous extraction steps moved shared tool-schema parsing into `codex-tools`, but `codex-core` still owned the generic Responses API tool models and the last adapter layer that turned parsed tool definitions into `ResponsesApiTool` values. That left `core/src/tools/spec.rs` and `core/src/client_common.rs` holding a chunk of tool-shaping code that does not need session state, runtime plumbing, or any other `codex-core`-specific dependency. As a result, `codex-tools` owned the parsed tool definition, but `codex-core` still owned the generic wire model that those definitions are converted into. This change moves that boundary one step further. `codex-tools` now owns the reusable Responses/tool wire structs and the shared conversion helpers for dynamic tools, MCP tools, and deferred MCP aliases. `codex-core` continues to own `ToolSpec` orchestration and the remaining web-search-specific request shapes. ## What changed - added `tools/src/responses_api.rs` to own `ResponsesApiTool`, `FreeformTool`, `ToolSearchOutputTool`, namespace output types, and the shared `ToolDefinition -> ResponsesApiTool` adapter helpers - added `tools/src/responses_api_tests.rs` for deferred-loading behavior, adapter coverage, and namespace serialization coverage - rewired `core/src/tools/spec.rs` to use the extracted dynamic/MCP adapter helpers instead of defining those conversions locally - rewired `core/src/tools/handlers/tool_search.rs` to use the extracted deferred MCP adapter and namespace output types directly - slimmed `core/src/client_common.rs` so it now keeps `ToolSpec` and the web-search-specific wire types, while reusing the extracted tool models from `codex-tools` - moved the extracted seam tests out of `core` and updated `codex-rs/tools/README.md` plus `tools/src/lib.rs` to reflect the expanded `codex-tools` boundary ## Test plan - `cargo test -p codex-tools` - `cargo test -p codex-core --lib tools::spec::` - `cargo test -p codex-core --lib tools::handlers::tool_search::` - `just fix -p codex-tools -p codex-core` - `just argument-comment-lint` ## References - [#15923](https://github.com/openai/codex/pull/15923) `codex-tools: extract shared tool schema parsing` - [#15928](https://github.com/openai/codex/pull/15928) `codex-tools: extract MCP schema adapters` - [#15944](https://github.com/openai/codex/pull/15944) `codex-tools: extract dynamic tool adapters` - [#15953](https://github.com/openai/codex/pull/15953) `codex-tools: introduce named tool definitions`
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codex-tools
codex-tools is intended to become the home for tool-related code that is
shared across multiple crates and does not need to stay coupled to
codex-core.
Today this crate is intentionally small. It currently owns the shared tool
schema and Responses API tool primitives that no longer need to live in
core/src/tools/spec.rs or core/src/client_common.rs:
JsonSchemaAdditionalPropertiesToolDefinitionResponsesApiToolFreeformToolFreeformToolFormatToolSearchOutputToolResponsesApiNamespaceResponsesApiNamespaceToolparse_tool_input_schema()parse_dynamic_tool()parse_mcp_tool()mcp_call_tool_result_output_schema()tool_definition_to_responses_api_tool()dynamic_tool_to_responses_api_tool()mcp_tool_to_responses_api_tool()mcp_tool_to_deferred_responses_api_tool()
That extraction is the first step in a longer migration. The goal is not to
move all of core/src/tools into this crate in one shot. Instead, the plan is
to peel off reusable pieces in reviewable increments while keeping
compatibility-sensitive orchestration in codex-core until the surrounding
boundaries are ready.
Vision
Over time, this crate should hold tool-facing primitives that are shared by multiple consumers, for example:
- schema and spec data models
- tool input/output parsing helpers
- tool metadata and compatibility shims that do not depend on
codex-core - other narrowly scoped utility code that multiple crates need
The corresponding non-goals are just as important:
- do not move
codex-coreorchestration here prematurely - do not pull
Session/TurnContext/ approval flow / runtime execution logic into this crate unless those dependencies have first been split into stable shared interfaces - do not turn this crate into a grab-bag for unrelated helper code
Migration approach
The expected migration shape is:
- Move low-coupling tool primitives here.
- Switch non-core consumers to depend on
codex-toolsdirectly. - Leave compatibility-sensitive adapters in
codex-corewhile downstream call sites are updated. - Only extract higher-level tool infrastructure after the crate boundaries are clear and independently testable.
That means it is normal for codex-core to temporarily re-export types or
helpers from codex-tools during the transition.
Crate conventions
This crate should start with stricter structure than core/src/tools so it
stays easy to grow:
src/lib.rsshould remain exports-only.- Business logic should live in named module files such as
foo.rs. - Unit tests for
foo.rsshould live in a siblingfoo_tests.rs. - The implementation file should wire tests with:
#[cfg(test)]
#[path = "foo_tests.rs"]
mod tests;
If this crate starts accumulating code that needs runtime state from
codex-core, that is a sign to revisit the extraction boundary before adding
more here.