Provider Options

Provider options let you enable provider-specific features like Anthropic's built-in tools and skills. These features run server-side on the provider's infrastructure.

Note: For provider-agnostic code execution, use Octavus Skills instead. Octavus Skills work with any LLM provider and run in isolated sandbox environments.

Anthropic Options

Configure Anthropic-specific features when using anthropic/* models:

yaml

agent:
  model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5
  system: system
  anthropic:
    # Provider tools (server-side)
    tools:
      web-search:
        display: description
        description: Searching the web
      code-execution:
        display: description
        description: Running code

    # Skills (knowledge packages)
    skills:
      pdf:
        type: anthropic
        display: description
        description: Processing PDF document

Note: Provider options are validated against the model provider. Using anthropic: options with non-Anthropic models will result in a validation error.

Provider Tools

Provider tools are executed server-side by the provider (Anthropic). Unlike external tools that you implement, provider tools are built-in capabilities.

Available Tools

Tool	Description
`web-search`	Search the web for current information
`code-execution`	Execute Python/Bash in a sandboxed container

Tool Configuration

yaml

anthropic:
  tools:
    web-search:
      display: description # How to show in UI
      description: Searching... # Custom display text

Field	Required	Description
`display`	No	`hidden`, `name`, `description`, `stream`, or `title` (default: `description`)
`title`	No	UI label shown when `display: title` (hides description and arguments)
`description`	No	Custom text shown to users during execution

Web Search

Allows the agent to search the web using Anthropic's built-in web search:

yaml

agent:
  model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5
  anthropic:
    tools:
      web-search:
        display: description
        description: Looking up current information

Tip: Octavus also provides a provider-agnostic web search via webSearch: true in the agent config. This works with any LLM provider and is the recommended approach for multi-provider agents. See Web Search for details.

Code Execution

Enables Python and Bash execution in a sandboxed container:

yaml

agent:
  model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5
  anthropic:
    tools:
      code-execution:
        display: description
        description: Running analysis

Use cases:

Data analysis and calculations
File processing
Chart generation
Script execution

Note: Code execution is automatically enabled when skills are configured (skills require the container environment).

Skills

Important: This section covers Anthropic's built-in skills (provider-specific). For provider-agnostic skills that work with any LLM, see Octavus Skills.

Anthropic skills are knowledge packages that give the agent specialized capabilities. They're loaded into Anthropic's code execution container at /skills/{skill-id}/ and only work with Anthropic models.

Skill Configuration

yaml

anthropic:
  skills:
    pdf:
      type: anthropic # 'anthropic' or 'custom'
      version: latest # Optional version
      display: description
      description: Processing PDF

Field	Required	Description
`type`	Yes	`anthropic` (built-in) or `custom` (uploaded)
`version`	No	Skill version (default: `latest`)
`display`	No	`hidden`, `name`, `description`, `stream`, or `title` (default: `description`)
`title`	No	UI label shown when `display: title` (hides description and arguments)
`description`	No	Custom text shown to users

Built-in Skills

Anthropic provides several built-in skills:

Skill ID	Purpose
`pdf`	PDF manipulation, text extraction, form filling
`xlsx`	Excel spreadsheet operations and analysis
`docx`	Word document creation and editing
`pptx`	PowerPoint presentation creation

Using Skills

yaml

agent:
  model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5
  system: system
  anthropic:
    skills:
      pdf:
        type: anthropic
        description: Processing your PDF
      xlsx:
        type: anthropic
        description: Analyzing spreadsheet

When skills are configured:

Code execution is automatically enabled
Skill files are loaded into the container
The agent can read skill instructions and execute scripts

Custom Skills

You can create and upload custom skills to Anthropic:

yaml

anthropic:
  skills:
    custom-analysis:
      type: custom
      version: latest
      description: Running custom analysis

Custom skills follow the Agent Skills standard and contain:

SKILL.md with instructions and metadata
Optional scripts/, references/, and assets/ directories

Octavus Skills vs Anthropic Skills

Feature	Anthropic Skills	Octavus Skills
Provider	Anthropic only	Any (agnostic)
Execution	Anthropic's container	Isolated sandbox
Configuration	`agent.anthropic.skills`	`agent.skills`
Definition	`anthropic:` section	`skills:` section
Use Case	Claude-specific features	Cross-provider code execution

For provider-agnostic code execution, use Octavus Skills defined in the protocol's skills: section and enabled via agent.skills. See Skills for details.

Display Modes

Both tools and skills support display modes:

Mode	Behavior
`hidden`	Not shown to users
`name`	Shows the tool/skill name
`description`	Shows the description (default)
`stream`	Streams progress if available

Full Example

yaml

input:
  COMPANY_NAME: { type: string }
  USER_ID: { type: string, optional: true }

tools:
  get-user-account:
    description: Looking up your account
    parameters:
      userId: { type: string }

agent:
  model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5
  system: system
  input: [COMPANY_NAME, USER_ID]
  tools: [get-user-account] # External tools
  agentic: true
  thinking: medium

  # Anthropic-specific options
  anthropic:
    # Provider tools (server-side)
    tools:
      web-search:
        display: description
        description: Searching the web
      code-execution:
        display: description
        description: Running code

    # Skills (knowledge packages)
    skills:
      pdf:
        type: anthropic
        display: description
        description: Processing PDF document
      xlsx:
        type: anthropic
        display: description
        description: Analyzing spreadsheet

triggers:
  user-message:
    input:
      USER_MESSAGE: { type: string }

handlers:
  user-message:
    Add message:
      block: add-message
      role: user
      prompt: user-message
      input: [USER_MESSAGE]
      display: hidden

    Respond:
      block: next-message

Validation

The protocol validator enforces:

Model match: Provider options must match the model provider
- anthropic: options require anthropic/* model
- Using mismatched options results in a validation error
Valid tool types: Only recognized tools are accepted
- web-search and code-execution for Anthropic
Valid skill types: Only anthropic or custom are accepted

Error Example

yaml

# This will fail validation
agent:
  model: openai/gpt-4o # OpenAI model
  anthropic: # Anthropic options - mismatch!
    tools:
      web-search: {}

Error: "anthropic" options require an anthropic model. Current model provider: "openai"