--- title: Tools overview slug: agent-platform/docs/tools-overview docTags: createdAt: 2026-08-11T15:55:27.000Z --- Mark (Optimizely Agent Platform) relies on tools to turn your requests into results. Tools help Mark take action on your behalf. Each tool performs a specific task, such as creating a campaign, uploading files, or generating images. Mark connects your natural language request to the right tool automatically. You focus on the outcome instead of running searches, uploading files, or calling APIs yourself. Think of tools as attachments on a Swiss Army knife. Each one serves a unique purpose. [Mark administrators](docId\:pe0pbUJveWrG8ewvZWDRE) add and manage tool registries for your organization. Most Mark users do not configure tools directly and instead interact with them through Mark chat and agents. ## Types of tools Mark offers the following types of tools: - [System tools](docId\:ZExsvHuX-MENKqR8_eAvw) – Optimizely builds and maintains these tools. - [Connector tools](docId\:eeUZC_bU6INq4qTCkqXjU) – Optimizely builds and maintains these tools to connect Mark with third-party providers. - [Custom tools](docId\:NQMcZoT1cKk0Ee86OVUVP) – Your organization builds and maintains these tools. ## Where tools are used Mark automatically chooses the right tool to complete each request. Most users experience tools through [Mark chat](docId\:dtNBEttEGVvkhNkwNypLM) or [agents](docId:-j4zNs-l3kIKD0n58bVPt) without knowing which tool runs in the background. ### Mark chat You do not need to call a tool directly in [Mark chat](docId\:dtNBEttEGVvkhNkwNypLM). Mark analyzes your request to determine your intent and the best tool to use. It looks for keywords, phrases, and the overall meaning of your message to choose the action. If Mark cannot find a tool that matches your request, it asks clarifying questions or lets you know it does not have a way to take action yet. Rephrase your request or speak with your administrator about adding a custom tool. The following examples demonstrate how Mark automatically selects tools based on your requests: - If you ask, *Can you create a campaign for our Q4 marketing efforts?*, Mark uses the `create_campaign` tool. - If you ask, *What is the current date?*, Mark uses the `get_today` tool. - If you say, *Find me some images of dogs*, Mark uses the `search_web` tool with the `image` search type. ### Agents Specialized agents can call specific tools if you include them in the prompt template. See [Create a specialized agent](docId\:tZPJWDyE1GSB-epLsUh5S) for details. Optimizely also provides many [Agents in the Agent Directory](docId\:mCCl_y-hNkhT-uKIXvReF) that include tools. ## Connectors tab overview The **Connectors** tab links your personal third-party accounts, such as Google or Salesforce, to Mark. Connect an account from this tab to let tools act on it in Mark chat and agents. For details, see [manage your personal connections](docId\:xUfalCQLkiP8yAktJWPzE). ## Tools tab overview The following image displays the **Tools** tab, where you can view, filter, and manage tools in your Mark instance. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/w0geSGrNPUffwHrKbpJC3_tools-tab-numbered-list.png) 1. **Connectors** – Connect your personal third-party account with Mark. See [Connectors tab overview](docId\:xUfalCQLkiP8yAktJWPzE). 2. **Tools** – View a listing of tools in your Mark instance categorized by registry. 3. **Registries** – View a listing of registries in your Mark instance. See [Registries tab overview](docId:-j4zNs-l3kIKD0n58bVPt). 4. **External Providers** – View and add Remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and authentication providers. See [Add a remote MCP provider](docId:7N-ZjI4ey2sTP9jl_pTvg). 5. **Search tools** – Enter a name or description to filter the tools list. 6. **Provider** – Filter the tools list by a specific tool provider (registry). 7. **Active Status filter** – Filter the tools list by enabled or disabled tools. 8. **Enabled in Chat filter** – Filter the tools list by tools enabled or disabled in [Mark chat](docId\:dtNBEttEGVvkhNkwNypLM). 9. **Tool Type filter** – Filter the tools by **Remote MCP** or **Opal Tools**. 10. **Add tool registry** – Add custom tools that you self-host or host on Optimizely Connect Platform (OCP). See [Add a custom tool to Mark](docId:1GdHO3DW4xZfN08J9ns92). 11. **Enabled in Chat column** – Indicates whether the tool is enabled and whether you can call it in [Mark chat](docId\:dtNBEttEGVvkhNkwNypLM). Also displays the total number of tools enabled in Mark chat. 12. **Restore tools for chat** – Reset which tools are enabled for Mark chat to the defaults. 13. **Tool registry name** – The name of the tool registry and the total number of tools in that registry. 14. **Tool registry active toggle** – Activates or deactivates the entire registry and its tools. - When toggled on, agents can use the tools in the registry. - When toggled off, the tools in the registry are unavailable. 15. **Tool registry chat enablement toggle** – Enables access to all tools in the tool registry in [Mark chat](docId\:dtNBEttEGVvkhNkwNypLM). Agents triggered from Mark chat can use these tools regardless of this setting. 16. **Tool information** – The tool's name and description. This information lets you call the tool from [Mark chat](docId\:dtNBEttEGVvkhNkwNypLM) or add the tool to a specialized agent. See [Define tools](docId\:tZPJWDyE1GSB-epLsUh5S) in Create specialized agents. 17. **Preview** – Indicates this tool is in **Preview** mode and is in beta. See [System tools in beta](docId\:ZExsvHuX-MENKqR8_eAvw). 18. **Auth Provider** – Indicates whether the tool requires authorization to use. ## Registries tab overview The following image displays the **Registries** tab, where you can view, filter, and manage tool registries in your Mark instance. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/C5D5n7xk_DuEjYKRPyp7l_registeries-tab-numbered-list.png) 1. **Tools** – View a listing of tools in your Mark instance categorized by registry. See [Tools tab overview](docId:-j4zNs-l3kIKD0n58bVPt). 2. **Connectors** – Connect your personal third-party account with Mark. See [Connectors tab overview](docId\:xUfalCQLkiP8yAktJWPzE). 3. **Registries** – View a listing of registries in your Mark instance. 4. **External Providers** – View and add remote MCP servers and authentication providers. See [Add a remote MCP provider](docId:7N-ZjI4ey2sTP9jl_pTvg). 5. **Search registries** – Enter a name or description to filter the registry list. 6. **Tool Type** – Filter the tools by **Remote MCP** or **Opal Tools**. 7. **Add tool registry** – Add custom tools that you self-host or host on OCP. See [Add a custom tool to Mark](docId:1GdHO3DW4xZfN08J9ns92). 8. **Name** – Name of the tools registry. If the tools registry is from Optimizely, an Optimizely logo displays. 9. **Discovery URL** – The tool's discovery HTTP endpoint. Click **Copy** to copy the URL to your clipboard. 10. **Owner** – Who owns the tool registry. 11. **Last Sync** – Date when the registry was added or last synced. 12. **Tools** – List of tools available in the registry. 13. **Actions** – More options. - **Sync** – Sync the registry to get any new or updated tools. See [Update a tool registry](docId\:SXjD3qqg-0gS2g4KajfyO). - **Copy Registry ID** – Copy the registry ID to your clipboard. - **Delete** – Delete registries that Optimizely does not manage. This option is unavailable for Optimizely-managed registries. See [Delete a tool registry](docId\:SXjD3qqg-0gS2g4KajfyO). ## External providers tab overview The **External Providers** tab connects Mark to remote MCP servers and authentication providers that host tools outside Mark. Add a provider from this tab to make its tools available in Mark. For step-by-step instructions, see [Add a remote MCP provider](docId:7N-ZjI4ey2sTP9jl_pTvg). :::hint{type="info"} **Note** If you use Opti ID, administrators can turn off generative AI in the Opti ID Admin Center. See [Turn generative AI off across Optimizely applications](docId\:X5U0kKD2azV5cIdNqwGNj). :::