Tools

AI Assistant uses tools to perform actions on your behalf. Each tool handles a specific type of operation within Directus.

AI Assistant discovers system tools on demand: it searches the available tools and loads only the details it needs for the current task. This keeps tool definitions out of the context window until they are needed, leaving more room for your conversation, schema, and results with any model provider. You still configure approvals and availability for each underlying tool individually.

Tools use your existing user permissions. Users without admin access won't see Admin Only tools. If you can't access a collection or perform an action in Directus, the AI can't either.

System Tools

These tools interact with your Directus instance via API to manage content, files, and schema.

Tool	Description
Schema	Explore collections, fields, and relationships (read-only)
Items	Create, read, update, and delete items in your collections
Files	Manage file metadata, import from URLs, organize uploads
Folders	Create and organize folder structures for files
Trigger Flow	Execute manual flows on demand

Admin Only

Be careful when using these tools as deleting or modifying schema can result in data loss.

Tool	Description
Collections	Create, modify, and delete collections (database tables)
Fields	Add, configure, and remove fields within collections
Relations	Set up relationships between collections
Flows	Create and manage automation workflows
Operations	Configure individual steps within flows

Page Context Tools

Page Context tools let the AI work directly with what's on your screen. They are only available when editing data and may not be available on all pages. Approval modes cannot be changed for Page Context tools.

Tool	Description
Read Form Values	Read current field values from the form on screen
Set Form Values	Update field values on the current form

Tool Behavior

Approval Modes

Each tool can be configured with one of three approval modes:

Mode	Behavior
Always Allowed	Execute immediately without asking
Needs Approval	Show approval dialog before executing (default)
Disabled	Tool is unavailable to AI and excluded from tool discovery

Tool approval settings are stored locally in your browser and are unique to you. They won't sync to your Directus instance or affect other users.

Disable tools to limit capabilities. Disabled tools cannot be discovered or executed. If you only manage content, disable schema and flow tools to prevent those operations.

Default Settings

All tools default to Ask mode. Nothing executes without your explicit approval until you change the settings.

Configuring Tools

Open the settings menu (gear icon) in the chat header
Search for specific tools
Click a tool and select an approval mode from the dropdown
Settings persist in your browser

Next Steps

Tips & Best Practices

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Security

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Usage

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Best Practices

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