NEW
A benchmark assessing tool-use capabilities of language models across diverse tools, APIs, and real-world tasks.
DESCRIPTION
ToolBench evaluates an LLM’s ability to select, parameterize, and sequence tool calls to solve tasks. It covers varied domains and tools to test robustness and generalization. Datasets include tool specifications and trajectories. It is used to measure and improve agentic systems with function calling and planning components. Results inform prompt engineering, tool design, and training strategies for action-taking models.
ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS
arXiv
ToolBench is a comprehensive benchmark and dataset for evaluating and training tool-augmented large language models on diverse tool-use tasks.
Positions ToolBench as both a dataset and a benchmark for tool-augmented LLMs.
OpenBMB
ToolBench provides tools, datasets, and evaluation scripts to assess and develop LLMs’ tool-use abilities across many APIs.
Highlights practical tooling and multi-API coverage.
RELATED TERMS
API Tool Use Function Calling ReAct Toolformer Agentic Systems Action Planning Benchmarking Tool-Use Dataset Evaluation Harness
COMPETING TERMS
AgentBench ToolLLM
KNOWLEDGE AREAS
AI Data Science MLOps Testing & Validation Platform & Tooling
TARGET AUDIENCE
AI Engineer MLOps Engineer Data Scientist AI Product Manager Software Developer
EXTERNAL SOURCES
TOP QUESTIONS
Why is ToolBench important for agentic LLMs?
It evaluates whether models can reliably pick and use tools, a key capability for real-world task automation.
Category: Relevancy
What does ToolBench measure exactly?
Tool selection, argument construction, sequencing, and success across diverse tool APIs and domains.
Category: Explanation
How should I apply ToolBench results?
Use them to guide tool design, prompt formats, and fine-tuning strategies, then validate on your production tools.
Category: HowTo
What are common mistakes using ToolBench?
Ignoring tool schema drift, overfitting to specific APIs, and neglecting error-handling in evaluation.
Category: Mistakes
What are risks of relying solely on ToolBench?
Scores may not reflect your tools’ idiosyncrasies. Always perform in-situ evaluations and safety testing.
Category: Risk
How does ToolBench compare to AgentBench?
AgentBench emphasizes broader agent tasks; ToolBench focuses deeply on tool-use mechanics across many APIs.
Category: Comparison
Can ToolBench support closed-source tools?
Yes, by defining schemas and simulators; ensure reproducibility and document any proprietary aspects.
Category: BestPractice
What’s a hot topic around ToolBench?
Generalizing tool-use to unseen APIs and robust error recovery are active research areas.
Category: Topic
How do I start with ToolBench?
Clone the repo, run baseline evaluations, and adapt schemas to mirror your real tool endpoints.
Category: GettingStarted