## Why
This is another small step in the `codex-core` -> `codex-tools`
migration described in `AGENTS.md`.
`core/src/tools/spec.rs` and `core/src/tools/code_mode/mod.rs` were both
hand-rolling the same pure transformation: convert visible `ToolSpec`s
into code-mode nested tool definitions, then sort and deduplicate by
tool name. That logic does not depend on core runtime state or handlers,
so keeping it in `codex-core` makes `spec.rs` harder to peel out later
than it needs to be.
## What Changed
- Add `collect_code_mode_tool_definitions()` to
`codex-rs/tools/src/code_mode.rs`.
- Reuse that helper from `codex-rs/core/src/tools/spec.rs` when
assembling the `exec` tool description.
- Reuse the same helper from `codex-rs/core/src/tools/code_mode/mod.rs`
when exposing nested tool metadata to the code-mode runtime.
This is intended to be a straight refactor with no behavior change and
no new test surface.
## Verification
- `cargo test -p codex-tools`
- `cargo test -p codex-core tools::spec::tests`
- `cargo test -p codex-core code_mode_only_`
## Why
The previous `codex-tools` migration steps moved the shared schema
models, local-host specs, collaboration specs, and related adapters out
of `codex-core`, but `core/src/tools/spec.rs` still contained a grab bag
of pure utility tool builders. Those specs do not need session state or
handler logic; they only describe wire shapes for tools that
`codex-core` already knows how to execute.
Moving that remaining low-coupling layer into `codex-tools` keeps the
migration moving in meaningful chunks and trims another large block of
passive tool-spec construction out of `codex-core` without touching the
runtime-coupled handlers.
## What changed
- extended `codex-tools` to own the pure spec builders for:
- code-mode `exec` / `wait`
- `js_repl` / `js_repl_reset`
- MCP resource tools `list_mcp_resources`,
`list_mcp_resource_templates`, and `read_mcp_resource`
- utility tools `list_dir` and `test_sync_tool`
- split those builders across small module files with sibling
`*_tests.rs` coverage, keeping `src/lib.rs` exports-only
- rewired `core/src/tools/spec.rs` to call the extracted builders and
deleted the duplicated core-local implementations
- moved the direct JS REPL grammar seam test out of
`core/src/tools/spec_tests.rs` so it now lives with the extracted
implementation in `codex-tools`
- updated `codex-rs/tools/README.md` so the documented crate boundary
matches the new utility-spec surface
## Test plan
- `CARGO_TARGET_DIR=/tmp/codex-tools-utility-specs cargo test -p
codex-tools`
- `CARGO_TARGET_DIR=/tmp/codex-core-utility-specs cargo test -p
codex-core --lib tools::spec::`
- `just fix -p codex-tools -p codex-core`
- `just argument-comment-lint`
## References
- #15923
- #15928
- #15944
- #15953
- #16031
- #16047
- #16129
- #16132
- #16138
- #16141
## Why
The longer-term `codex-tools` migration is to move pure tool-definition
and tool-spec plumbing out of `codex-core` while leaving session- and
runtime-coupled orchestration behind.
The remaining code-mode adapter layer in
`core/src/tools/code_mode_description.rs` was a good next extraction
seam because it only transformed `ToolSpec` values for code mode and
already delegated the low-level description rendering to
`codex-code-mode`.
## What Changed
- added `codex-rs/tools/src/code_mode.rs` with
`augment_tool_spec_for_code_mode()` and
`tool_spec_to_code_mode_tool_definition()`
- added focused unit coverage in `codex-rs/tools/src/code_mode_tests.rs`
- rewired `core/src/tools/spec.rs` and `core/src/tools/code_mode/mod.rs`
to use the extracted adapters from `codex-tools`
- removed the old `core/src/tools/code_mode_description.rs` shim and its
test file from `codex-core`
- added the `codex-code-mode` dependency to `codex-tools`, updated
`Cargo.lock`, and refreshed the `codex-tools` README to reflect the
expanded boundary
## Test Plan
- `cargo test -p codex-tools`
- `CARGO_TARGET_DIR=/tmp/codex-core-code-mode-adapters cargo test -p
codex-core --lib tools::spec::`
- `CARGO_TARGET_DIR=/tmp/codex-core-code-mode-adapters cargo test -p
codex-core --lib tools::code_mode::`
- `just bazel-lock-update`
- `just bazel-lock-check`
- `just argument-comment-lint`
## References
- #15923
- #15928
- #15944
- #15953
- #16031
- #16047
- #16129
Vivian Fang ·
Michael Bolin ·