# agent-works
[](LICENSE)
**Batteries-included Agent toolbox built on [agent-base](https://github.com/chenkangzeng1/agent-base).**
`agent-works` adds production-ready capabilities on top of the `agent-base` runtime kernel: MCP multi-server management, Skills with progressive disclosure, built-in file tools, tool enforcement middleware, and a CLI REPL loop — all behind feature flags. Pick what you need.
## Relationship with agent-base
```
agent-base Pure runtime kernel (~12 deps, trait interfaces only)
↑
agent-works Batteries-included toolbox (wraps agent-base + enhancements)
```
- **Use `agent-base` alone** when you only need the runtime (LLM + tools + middleware).
- **Use `agent-works`** when you want MCP, Skills, built-in tools, CLI — and still get everything from agent-base through re-exports.
- Switching from `agent-base` to `agent-works` is a one-line import change.
## Installation
```toml
[dependencies]
agent-works = { version = "0.1", features = ["full"] }
```
Or pick specific features:
```toml
agent-works = { version = "0.1", features = ["mcp", "skill"] }
```
## Feature Flags
| `mcp` | `McpHUb` — multi-server MCP with HTTP + stdio transport | — |
| `skill` | `Skill` trait + `LazySkillPrompter` / `FullDetailPrompter` + `SkillDetailTool` + `SkillLoader` | — |
| `builtin-tools` | `ReadFileTool`, `WriteFileTool`, `ListDirectoryTool`, `FileExistsTool`, `SearchReplaceTool` | `walkdir` |
| `cli` | `CliRepl` (generic REPL loop) + `CliEventPrinter` (terminal event output) | — |
| `full` | All of the above | — |
All types from `agent-base` are re-exported (`AgentBuilder`, `AgentRuntime`, `Tool`, `Middleware`, ...), so you only need to depend on `agent-works`.
## Quick Start
### Skills
Skills package tools + descriptions into reusable units with progressive disclosure:
```rust
use std::sync::Arc;
use agent_works::{
AgentBuilder, AgentEvent, AgentResult,
skill::{Skill, LazySkillPrompter},
Tool, ToolContext, ToolControlFlow, ToolOutput,
};
use async_trait::async_trait;
use serde_json::{json, Value};
// 1. Define tools
struct AddTool;
#[async_trait]
impl Tool for AddTool {
fn name(&self) -> &'static str { "add" }
fn definition(&self) -> Value {
json!({
"type": "function",
"function": {
"name": "add",
"description": "Calculate the sum of two integers",
"parameters": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"a": { "type": "integer" },
"b": { "type": "integer" }
},
"required": ["a", "b"]
}
}
})
}
async fn call(&self, args: &Value, _ctx: &ToolContext) -> AgentResult<ToolOutput> {
let a = args["a"].as_i64().unwrap_or(0);
let b = args["b"].as_i64().unwrap_or(0);
Ok(ToolOutput {
summary: format!("{a} + {b} = {}", a + b),
raw: Some(json!({ "result": a + b })),
control_flow: ToolControlFlow::Break,
truncation: None,
})
}
}
// 2. Pack into a Skill
struct MathSkill;
impl Skill for MathSkill {
fn name(&self) -> &'static str { "math" }
fn brief_description(&self) -> String {
"Math: supports addition".to_string()
}
fn detailed_description(&self) -> String {
"## Math Skill\n\n- **add**: Calculate the sum of two integers".to_string()
}
fn tools(&self) -> Vec<Arc<dyn Tool>> {
vec![Arc::new(AddTool)]
}
}
// 3. Build with agent-works AgentBuilder
let runtime = AgentBuilder::new(llm)
.system_prompt("You are a helpful assistant.")
.register_skill(MathSkill) // auto-registers tools, injects prompt, adds detail tool
.build()?;
```
The builder automatically:
- Registers skill tools and detects name conflicts
- Injects skill brief descriptions into the system prompt (via `LazySkillPrompter`)
- Registers `SkillDetailTool` for on-demand detailed prompt loading
### MCP Multi-Server
```rust
use agent_works::mcp::*;
let mut hub = McpHUb::new();
hub.add_server(McpServerConfig {
name: "filesystem".into(),
transport: McpTransport::Stdio {
command: "npx".into(),
args: vec!["-y".into(), "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem".into()],
},
auto_reconnect: true,
});
hub.connect_all().await?;
// Discover tools from all servers
let all_tools = hub.discover_all().await?;
// Register into the agent runtime
let mut tools = runtime.tools_mut();
hub.register_all(&mut tools);
```
### Built-in File Tools
```rust
use agent_works::builtin::{ReadFileTool, WriteFileTool};
use std::path::PathBuf;
let runtime = AgentBuilder::new(llm)
.register_tool(ReadFileTool { workspace: PathBuf::from(".") })
.register_tool(WriteFileTool { workspace: PathBuf::from(".") })
.build()?;
```
### CLI REPL
```rust
use agent_works::cli::{CliRepl, CliEventPrinter};
let mut repl = CliRepl::new(runtime);
// Register custom shell commands
```
### Tool Enforcement
The `ToolEnforcementMiddleware` (inherited from agent-base) nudges the LLM to actually call tools instead of just describing what it would do:
```rust
use agent_works::ToolEnforcementMiddleware;
use agent_works::ToolEnforcementConfig;
let runtime = AgentBuilder::new(llm)
.register_tool(MyTool)
.middleware(ToolEnforcementMiddleware::new(ToolEnforcementConfig::default()))
.build()?;
```
## Examples
```bash
# Skills with progressive disclosure
cargo run --example skill_demo --features skill
# MCP multi-server connection
cargo run --example mcp_demo --features mcp
# Built-in file tools
cargo run --example builtin_demo --features builtin-tools
# CLI REPL + event printer
cargo run --example cli_demo --features cli
```
## Module Structure
```
src/
├── lib.rs # Re-exports agent-base + feature-gated modules
├── builder.rs # AgentBuilder wrapper with skill integration
├── mcp/ # McpHUb + McpClient (HTTP + stdio transport)
├── skill/ # Skill trait + prompter strategies + detail tool
├── builtin/ # ReadFile / WriteFile / ListDirectory / FileExists / SearchReplace
└── cli/ # CliRepl + CliEventPrinter
```
## License
MIT