Built-in tools vs. integrations for agents Guide
Understand which agent tools work out of the box and which need a connected account before your agent can use them.
Last updated July 16, 2026
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Every Praxivara agent draws on a set of tools to get its work done. Those tools come in two forms: built-in tools that are always available, and integrations that connect to an outside account you own. Knowing the difference helps you understand what an agent can do today and what it needs before it can do more.
Built-in tools
Built-in tools are ready the moment an agent exists. Nothing to connect, nothing to configure. They cover the everyday actions most agents need, such as:
- Emailing you a summary or result
- Searching the web
- Working with files and creating documents
- Generating images
- Saving and returning its work
Because these tools are always on, an agent can use them straight away. In fact, an agent that hasn't been given any explicit tool list can still reach for all of its built-in tools as needed.
Tip: If an agent didn't do something you expected, first check whether the task needed a built-in tool it simply wasn't directed to use, or an integration that isn't connected yet.
Integrations
Integrations connect your agent to services you already use, such as Gmail, Slack, or Shopify. Unlike built-in tools, an integration needs a connected account before the agent can act. Once connected, the agent works within that account on your behalf.
On an agent's Tools tab, capabilities are grouped by integration, and each connected integration shows which account it's using, so you can see at a glance what powers your agent and where its actions land.
Connected vs. not yet connected
An integration can appear on the Tools tab before it's fully connected. If it shows but isn't connected yet, the agent can't use it until you connect the relevant account. This is the most common reason an agent "has" an integration but still can't complete a task with it.
How to tell what an agent already has
- Open the agent's detail page.
- Go to the Tools tab under Configure.
- Review the built-in tools and the integrations grouped below them.
- For each integration, confirm the connected account shown is the one you intend the agent to use.
Adding a new capability
The simplest way to give an agent a new tool or integration is to ask the AI builder on the Build tab in plain English. Describe the outcome you want, for example "let it send WhatsApp messages" or "give it access to our Shopify store," and the builder wires up the right tools for you.
If the new capability relies on an integration, you'll still need a connected account for that service. The builder will guide you toward connecting one where it's required.
Note: You don't add tools by hand on the Tools tab — that tab is where you review what an agent has. New capabilities are set up through the AI builder on the Build tab.
A quick comparison
| Built-in tools | Integrations | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Always on | Require a connected account |
| Examples | Email you, web search, file creation, image generation | Gmail, Slack, Shopify, and more |
| Setup needed | None | Connect the account first |
| Where to see them | Tools tab | Tools tab, grouped by integration with the connected account shown |
Where skills fit in
Skills are step-by-step playbooks an agent follows for a specific job. When you add a skill, it also grants the extra tools that skill needs, so the agent gets both the method and the means in one step. If you notice an agent has tools you don't remember giving it, an installed skill likely brought them along. You can review installed skills on the agent's Skills tab.