Agent Tool Taxonomy

Compare the capabilities behind agentic coding tools.

Browse vendor-neutral capabilities, then see the exact tool names each product exposes to its agents.

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Capability explorer

Search by capability, vendor tool name (StrReplace, apply_patch), or product, then narrow by category.

Filesystem

Delete file

file_delete

Mutating

Delete a file or directory from the workspace.

Implemented by

CursorDelete

Edit file

file_edit

Mutating

Apply a targeted in-place edit to an existing file (string replacement or patch).

Implemented by

Claude CodeEdit CursorStrReplace

Find files by pattern

glob_search

Read-only

Locate files by name/path glob pattern (e.g. src/**/*.ts).

Implemented by

Claude CodeGlob CursorGlob CursorLS

Read file

file_read

Read-only

Read the contents of a file (text, image, notebook) from the workspace.

Implemented by

Claude CodeRead CursorRead

Search file contents

content_search

Read-only

Regex or keyword search across file contents (ripgrep-style).

Implemented by

Claude CodeGrep CursorGrep CursorSemanticSearch

Write file

file_write

Mutating

Create a new file or fully overwrite an existing one.

Implemented by

Claude CodeWrite CursorWrite

Execution

Await background process

shell_await

Executes code

Attach to, poll, or wait on a previously started background command or long-running process.

Implemented by

Claude CodeMonitor

Read diagnostics

lint_read

Read-only

Read linter, compiler, or language-server diagnostics for files in the workspace.

Implemented by

Claude CodeLSP CursorReadLints

Run shell command

shell_exec

Executes code

Execute a shell command in the workspace and return its output.

Implemented by

Claude CodeBash CursorShell

Web

Fetch URL

web_fetch

Network

Fetch and extract the content of a specific URL.

Implemented by

Claude CodeWebFetch CursorWebFetch

Web search

web_search

Network

Run a search-engine query and return ranked results.

Implemented by

Claude CodeWebSearch CursorWebSearch

Orchestration

Ask user

user_question

Read-only

Pause to ask the user a structured clarifying question and wait for the answer.

Implemented by

Claude CodeAskUserQuestion CursorAskQuestion

Manage task plan

todo_plan

Read-only

Create and update a structured todo/plan list tracking multi-step work.

Implemented by

Claude CodeTaskCreate Claude CodeTaskGet Claude CodeTaskList Claude CodeTaskUpdate CursorTodoWrite

Spawn subagent

subagent_spawn

Executes code

Delegate a scoped task to a child agent and receive its result.

Implemented by

Claude CodeAgent CursorTask

Switch agent mode

mode_switch

Mutating

Change the agent's operating mode (e.g. plan vs. edit) or permission posture.

Implemented by

Claude CodeEnterPlanMode Claude CodeExitPlanMode CursorSwitchMode

Integration

Call MCP tool

mcp_call

Executes code

Invoke a tool exposed by a connected MCP server.

Implemented by

CursorCallMcpTool

Discover MCP integrations

mcp_discover

Read-only

List or search the tools, schemas, and resources available from connected MCP servers.

Implemented by

Claude CodeListMcpResourcesTool Claude CodeToolSearch CursorListMcpResources

Fetch MCP resource

mcp_resource_fetch

Network

Read a resource (document, data blob) exposed by a connected MCP server.

Implemented by

Claude CodeReadMcpResourceTool CursorFetchMcpResource

Specialized

Edit notebook

notebook_edit

Mutating

Read or modify cells of a Jupyter notebook, preserving cell structure and outputs.

Implemented by

Claude CodeNotebookEdit CursorEditNotebook

Generate image

image_generate

Network

Generate an image from a text prompt.

Implemented by

CursorGenerateImage

Manage VCS workspace

vcs_branch

Mutating

Create or switch the active version-control branch or isolated worktree for the session.

Implemented by

Claude CodeEnterWorktree