Using tools

When generating model responses, you can extend capabilities using built‑in tools and remote MCP servers. These enable the model to search the web, retrieve from your files, call your own functions, or access third‑party services.

Include web search results for the model response

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import OpenAI from "openai";
const client = new OpenAI();

const response = await client.responses.create({
    model: "gpt-5",
    tools: [
        { type: "web_search" },
    ],
    input: "What was a positive news story from today?",
});

console.log(response.output_text);

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from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI()

response = client.responses.create(
    model="gpt-5",
    tools=[{"type": "web_search"}],
    input="What was a positive news story from today?"
)

print(response.output_text)

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curl "https://api.openai.com/v1/responses" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY" \
    -d '{
        "model": "gpt-5",
        "tools": [{"type": "web_search"}],
        "input": "what was a positive news story from today?"
    }'

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using OpenAI.Responses;

string key = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("OPENAI_API_KEY")!;
OpenAIResponseClient client = new(model: "gpt-5", apiKey: key);

ResponseCreationOptions options = new();
options.Tools.Add(ResponseTool.CreateWebSearchTool());

OpenAIResponse response = (OpenAIResponse)client.CreateResponse([
    ResponseItem.CreateUserMessageItem([
        ResponseContentPart.CreateInputTextPart("What was a positive news story from today?"),
    ]),
], options);

Console.WriteLine(response.GetOutputText());

Search your files in a response

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from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI()

response = client.responses.create(
    model="gpt-4.1",
    input="What is deep research by OpenAI?",
    tools=[{
        "type": "file_search",
        "vector_store_ids": ["<vector_store_id>"]
    }]
)
print(response)

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import OpenAI from "openai";
const openai = new OpenAI();

const response = await openai.responses.create({
    model: "gpt-4.1",
    input: "What is deep research by OpenAI?",
    tools: [
        {
            type: "file_search",
            vector_store_ids: ["<vector_store_id>"],
        },
    ],
});
console.log(response);

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using OpenAI.Responses;

string key = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("OPENAI_API_KEY")!;
OpenAIResponseClient client = new(model: "gpt-5", apiKey: key);

ResponseCreationOptions options = new();
options.Tools.Add(ResponseTool.CreateFileSearchTool(["<vector_store_id>"]));

OpenAIResponse response = (OpenAIResponse)client.CreateResponse([
    ResponseItem.CreateUserMessageItem([
        ResponseContentPart.CreateInputTextPart("What is deep research by OpenAI?"),
    ]),
], options);

Console.WriteLine(response.GetOutputText());

Call your own function

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import OpenAI from "openai";
const client = new OpenAI();

const tools = [
    {
        type: "function",
        name: "get_weather",
        description: "Get current temperature for a given location.",
        parameters: {
            type: "object",
            properties: {
                location: {
                    type: "string",
                    description: "City and country e.g. Bogotá, Colombia",
                },
            },
            required: ["location"],
            additionalProperties: false,
        },
        strict: true,
    },
];

const response = await client.responses.create({
    model: "gpt-5",
    input: [
        { role: "user", content: "What is the weather like in Paris today?" },
    ],
    tools,
});

console.log(response.output[0].to_json());

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from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI()

tools = [
    {
        "type": "function",
        "name": "get_weather",
        "description": "Get current temperature for a given location.",
        "parameters": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
                "location": {
                    "type": "string",
                    "description": "City and country e.g. Bogotá, Colombia",
                }
            },
            "required": ["location"],
            "additionalProperties": False,
        },
        "strict": True,
    },
]

response = client.responses.create(
    model="gpt-5",
    input=[
        {"role": "user", "content": "What is the weather like in Paris today?"},
    ],
    tools=tools,
)

print(response.output[0].to_json())

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using System.Text.Json;
using OpenAI.Responses;

string key = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("OPENAI_API_KEY")!;
OpenAIResponseClient client = new(model: "gpt-5", apiKey: key);

ResponseCreationOptions options = new();
options.Tools.Add(ResponseTool.CreateFunctionTool(
        functionName: "get_weather",
        functionDescription: "Get current temperature for a given location.",
        functionParameters: BinaryData.FromObjectAsJson(new
        {
            type = "object",
            properties = new
            {
                location = new
                {
                    type = "string",
                    description = "City and country e.g. Bogotá, Colombia"
                }
            },
            required = new[] { "location" },
            additionalProperties = false
        }),
        strictModeEnabled: true
    )
);

OpenAIResponse response = (OpenAIResponse)client.CreateResponse([
    ResponseItem.CreateUserMessageItem([
        ResponseContentPart.CreateInputTextPart("What is the weather like in Paris today?")
    ])
], options);

Console.WriteLine(JsonSerializer.Serialize(response.OutputItems[0]));

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curl -X POST https://api.openai.com/v1/responses \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "gpt-5",
    "input": [
      {"role": "user", "content": "What is the weather like in Paris today?"}
    ],
    "tools": [
      {
        "type": "function",
        "name": "get_weather",
        "description": "Get current temperature for a given location.",
        "parameters": {
          "type": "object",
          "properties": {
            "location": {
              "type": "string",
              "description": "City and country e.g. Bogotá, Colombia"
            }
          },
          "required": ["location"],
          "additionalProperties": false
        },
        "strict": true
      }
    ]
  }'

Call a remote MCP server

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curl https://api.openai.com/v1/responses \ 
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \ 
-H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY" \ 
-d '{
  "model": "gpt-5",
    "tools": [
      {
        "type": "mcp",
        "server_label": "dmcp",
        "server_description": "A Dungeons and Dragons MCP server to assist with dice rolling.",
        "server_url": "https://dmcp-server.deno.dev/sse",
        "require_approval": "never"
      }
    ],
    "input": "Roll 2d4+1"
  }'

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import OpenAI from "openai";
const client = new OpenAI();

const resp = await client.responses.create({
  model: "gpt-5",
  tools: [
    {
      type: "mcp",
      server_label: "dmcp",
      server_description: "A Dungeons and Dragons MCP server to assist with dice rolling.",
      server_url: "https://dmcp-server.deno.dev/sse",
      require_approval: "never",
    },
  ],
  input: "Roll 2d4+1",
});

console.log(resp.output_text);

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from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI()

resp = client.responses.create(
    model="gpt-5",
    tools=[
        {
            "type": "mcp",
            "server_label": "dmcp",
            "server_description": "A Dungeons and Dragons MCP server to assist with dice rolling.",
            "server_url": "https://dmcp-server.deno.dev/sse",
            "require_approval": "never",
        },
    ],
    input="Roll 2d4+1",
)

print(resp.output_text)

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using OpenAI.Responses;

string key = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("OPENAI_API_KEY")!;
OpenAIResponseClient client = new(model: "gpt-5", apiKey: key);

ResponseCreationOptions options = new();
options.Tools.Add(ResponseTool.CreateMcpTool(
    serverLabel: "dmcp",
    serverUri: new Uri("https://dmcp-server.deno.dev/sse"),
    toolCallApprovalPolicy: new McpToolCallApprovalPolicy(GlobalMcpToolCallApprovalPolicy.NeverRequireApproval)
));

OpenAIResponse response = (OpenAIResponse)client.CreateResponse([
    ResponseItem.CreateUserMessageItem([
        ResponseContentPart.CreateInputTextPart("Roll 2d4+1")
    ])
], options);

Console.WriteLine(response.GetOutputText());

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