Frontend Tools

Let your agent interact with and update your application's UI.


/** * Agent factories for the Strands TypeScript showcase backend. * * `buildShowcaseAgent` is the single shared agent that serves the vast * majority of demos (the frontend differentiates each demo via * useFrontendTool / useRenderTool / useHumanInTheLoop / useAgentContext). * It mirrors the Python sibling's `build_showcase_agent` minus A2UI. * * The tool-free specialized agents (voice, byoc-hashbrown, byoc-json-render) * are mounted on dedicated sub-paths by `server.ts`. */import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";import { dirname, join } from "node:path";import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";import { Agent, tool } from "@strands-agents/sdk";import { z } from "zod";import { StrandsAgent } from "@ag-ui/aws-strands";import type { StrandsAgentConfig } from "@ag-ui/aws-strands";import {  A2UI_OPERATIONS_KEY,  createSurface,  updateComponents,  updateDataModel,} from "@ag-ui/a2ui-toolkit";import { createModel } from "./model-factory";import { SHOWCASE_TOOLS } from "./tools";import {  buildStatePrompt,  salesStateFromArgs,  notesStateFromArgs,  stepsStateFromArgs,  documentStateFromArgs,  makeSubagentStateFromResult,} from "./state";import {  SYSTEM_PROMPT,  VOICE_SYSTEM_PROMPT,  BYOC_HASHBROWN_SYSTEM_PROMPT,  BYOC_JSON_RENDER_SYSTEM_PROMPT,} from "./prompts";export async function buildShowcaseAgent(): Promise<StrandsAgent> {  const config: StrandsAgentConfig = {    stateContextBuilder: buildStatePrompt,    toolBehaviors: {      // Sales pipeline lives in shared state; emit the snapshot from args.      manage_sales_todos: {        skipMessagesSnapshot: true,        stateFromArgs: salesStateFromArgs,      },      // Shared State (Read + Write) — notes panel.      set_notes: { stateFromArgs: notesStateFromArgs },      // gen-ui-agent — live progress card driven by set_steps transitions.      set_steps: { stateFromArgs: stepsStateFromArgs },      // shared-state-streaming — stream the document string into state.      write_document: { stateFromArgs: documentStateFromArgs },      // Sub-agents — append a delegation entry carrying the actual output.      research_agent: {        stateFromResult: makeSubagentStateFromResult("research_agent"),      },      writing_agent: {        stateFromResult: makeSubagentStateFromResult("writing_agent"),      },      critique_agent: {        stateFromResult: makeSubagentStateFromResult("critique_agent"),      },    },  };  const strandsAgent = new Agent({    model: await createModel(),    systemPrompt: SYSTEM_PROMPT,    tools: SHOWCASE_TOOLS,  });  return new StrandsAgent({    agent: strandsAgent,    name: "strands_agent",    description:      "A polished CopilotKit demo assistant: chat, tools, shared state, HITL, sub-agents.",    config,  });}/** Tool-free agent for the voice demo (transcription + basic chat). */export async function buildVoiceAgent(): Promise<StrandsAgent> {  const strandsAgent = new Agent({    model: await createModel(),    systemPrompt: VOICE_SYSTEM_PROMPT,    tools: [],  });  return new StrandsAgent({    agent: strandsAgent,    name: "voice_agent",    description: "Simple assistant for the voice demo — no tools.",  });}/** Tool-free hashbrown UI-kit envelope generator (declarative-hashbrown). */export async function buildByocHashbrownAgent(): Promise<StrandsAgent> {  const strandsAgent = new Agent({    model: await createModel(),    systemPrompt: BYOC_HASHBROWN_SYSTEM_PROMPT,    tools: [],  });  return new StrandsAgent({    agent: strandsAgent,    name: "byoc_hashbrown",    description:      "Hashbrown UI-kit envelope generator for the declarative-hashbrown demo.",  });}/** Tool-free json-render flat-spec generator (declarative-json-render). */export async function buildByocJsonRenderAgent(): Promise<StrandsAgent> {  const strandsAgent = new Agent({    model: await createModel(),    systemPrompt: BYOC_JSON_RENDER_SYSTEM_PROMPT,    tools: [],  });  return new StrandsAgent({    agent: strandsAgent,    name: "byoc_json_render",    description:      "json-render flat-spec generator for the declarative-json-render demo.",  });}// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------// A2UI Fixed Schema (declarative-generative-ui) — dedicated backend tool.// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------//// Unlike the dynamic A2UI demo (which relies on the adapter auto-injecting a// `generate_a2ui` tool to *generate* a surface), the fixed-schema demo wires a// single plain backend tool — `display_flight` — that returns the// `a2ui_operations` envelope (createSurface -> updateComponents ->// updateDataModel). The component tree is fixed and authored ahead of time// (./a2ui_schemas/flight_schema.json); only the *data* changes per call. The// runtime A2UIMiddleware detects the envelope in the tool result and paints.// No sub-agent, no generation, no `generate_a2ui` injection.//// The schema's component names + data paths must match the showcase frontend// catalog at src/app/demos/a2ui-fixed-schema/a2ui/{definitions,renderers,// catalog}.ts — catalog id `copilotkit://flight-fixed-catalog`. This mirrors// the canonical langgraph-python demo (src/agents/a2ui_fixed.py).const _A2UI_DIR = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));const A2UI_FIXED_CATALOG_ID = "copilotkit://flight-fixed-catalog";const A2UI_FIXED_SURFACE_ID = "flight-fixed-schema";// Fixed, pre-authored component layout. Loaded from JSON so it can be authored// and reviewed independently of the agent code.const FLIGHT_SCHEMA: Array<Record<string, unknown>> = JSON.parse(  readFileSync(join(_A2UI_DIR, "a2ui_schemas", "flight_schema.json"), "utf-8"),);const A2UI_FIXED_SYSTEM_PROMPT =  "You help users find flights. When asked about a flight, call " +  "`display_flight` exactly ONCE with origin, destination, airline, and " +  'price. Use short airport codes (e.g. "SFO", "JFK") for ' +  'origin/destination and a price string like "$289". The tool\'s return ' +  "value is an A2UI surface descriptor — the flight card is already rendered " +  "to the user; do NOT call `display_flight` again for the same trip and do " +  "NOT repeat the flight details in text. After the tool returns, reply with " +  "one short confirmation sentence and stop.";/** * Dedicated agent for the A2UI fixed-schema demo. Returns the envelope as a * plain OBJECT (not a JSON string): the Strands TS SDK wraps an object * tool-return in a `json` content block the adapter reads and re-stringifies * into the TOOL_CALL_RESULT the client A2UIMiddleware scans for * `a2ui_operations`. (A bare string return lands in no content block and the * result comes through empty — unlike the Python SDK, which wraps strings.) */export async function buildA2uiFixedSchemaAgent(): Promise<StrandsAgent> {  const displayFlight = tool({    name: "display_flight",    description:      "Show a flight card for the given trip. Use short airport codes " +      '(e.g. "SFO", "JFK") for origin/destination and a price string like ' +      '"$289". After this tool returns, the flight card is already rendered ' +      "to the user via the A2UI surface — do NOT call it again for the same " +      "flight; reply with one short confirmation sentence and stop.",    inputSchema: z.object({      origin: z.string().describe('Origin airport code, e.g. "SFO".'),      destination: z.string().describe('Destination airport code, e.g. "JFK".'),      airline: z.string().describe('Airline name, e.g. "United".'),      price: z.string().describe('Price string, e.g. "$289".'),    }),    callback: ({ origin, destination, airline, price }) => ({      [A2UI_OPERATIONS_KEY]: [        createSurface(A2UI_FIXED_SURFACE_ID, A2UI_FIXED_CATALOG_ID),        updateComponents(A2UI_FIXED_SURFACE_ID, FLIGHT_SCHEMA),        updateDataModel(A2UI_FIXED_SURFACE_ID, {          origin,          destination,          airline,          price,        }),      ],    }),  });  const strandsAgent = new Agent({    // Chat Completions API: the Responses adapter buffers tool-call argument    // deltas, which would defeat A2UI's progressive surface streaming.    model: await createModel({ openaiApi: "chat" }),    systemPrompt: A2UI_FIXED_SYSTEM_PROMPT,    tools: [displayFlight],  });  return new StrandsAgent({    agent: strandsAgent,    name: "a2ui_fixed_schema",    description:      "A2UI surface from a fixed, pre-authored schema (direct backend tool)",  });}// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------// A2UI Dynamic Schema (declarative-gen-ui) — adapter auto-injects generate_a2ui.// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------//// Unlike the fixed-schema demo (which wires a `display_flight` tool returning a// pre-authored envelope), the dynamic demo lets the agent *generate* the// surface layout on the fly. The Next.js route// (app/api/copilotkit-declarative-gen-ui/route.ts) sets// `a2ui: { injectA2UITool: true, defaultCatalogId: "declarative-gen-ui-catalog" }`;// the runtime forwards the flag, the Strands adapter auto-injects a// `generate_a2ui` tool and drives a secondary render planner. The// `config.a2ui` block below supplies the catalog id stamped into generated// surfaces and the composition guide that teaches the planner the page's// catalog. Mirrors the ag-ui dynamic-schema reference example.//// The compositionGuide MUST describe the catalog the page registers at// src/app/demos/declarative-gen-ui/a2ui/{definitions,renderers,catalog}.ts// (catalog id `declarative-gen-ui-catalog`): Card / StatusBadge / Metric /// InfoRow / PrimaryButton / PieChart / BarChart / DataTable, composed inside// the basic catalog's Row / Column / Text (`includeBasicCatalog: true`).//// Grounding dataset + composition rules are kept in spirit with the frontend// `sales-context.ts` (SALES_DATASET + COMPOSITION_RULES) the page registers via// `useAgentContext`. The frontend context steers the PRIMARY agent; this// compositionGuide is the channel the adapter feeds to the secondary// `render_a2ui` planner (it gets `guidelines`, not the frontend App Context),// so the planner is self-contained.const A2UI_DYNAMIC_CATALOG_ID = "declarative-gen-ui-catalog";const A2UI_DYNAMIC_SALES_DATASET = `Vantage Threads (fictional B2B apparel company) — Q2 sales data. Ground every visual in these numbers; invent only plausible details consistent with them.- Quarterly revenue: $4.2M (up 12% QoQ). New customers: 186 (up 8%). Win rate: 31% (down 2pts). Avg deal size: $22.6k (up 5%).- Revenue by region: North America $1.9M, EMEA $1.3M, APAC $720k, LATAM $280k.- Monthly revenue: Jan $1.21M, Feb $1.34M, Mar $1.65M, Apr $1.38M, May $1.42M, Jun $1.40M.- Reps (vs quota): Dana Whitfield 124%, Marcus Lee 108%, Priya Sharma 97%, Tom Okafor 88%, Elena Vasquez 71%.- At-risk: total $615k ARR across 3 accounts — Northwind Retail ($340k renewal, no contact 6 weeks; severity high), Cascadia Outfitters ($180k, champion left; severity medium), Atlas Goods ($95k, stalled legal review; severity medium).- Biggest account: Meridian Apparel Group — owner Dana Whitfield, region North America, ARR $612k, renewal Sep 30, last contact 3 days ago, health green, 4 open opportunities worth $210k.- Meridian revenue by product line: Outerwear $260k, Footwear $180k, Accessories $112k, Custom $60k.`;const A2UI_DYNAMIC_COMPOSITION_RULES = `Use ONLY these exact component names (the registered catalog — any other name fails to render): Card, Column, Row, Text, Metric, PieChart, BarChart, DataTable, StatusBadge, InfoRow, PrimaryButton. The single-value KPI tile component is named exactly "Metric" (NOT "MetricTile" or "MetricCard").Pick A2UI components by the shape of the question — never ask which chart the user wants:1. Overall snapshot / "sales dashboard" → a Column (gap 16) whose first child is a Row (gap 16) of 4 Metric components (each with trend + trendValue), followed by a Row with a PieChart (revenue by region) next to a BarChart (monthly revenue, all six months Jan-Jun). Do NOT wrap the dashboard in a surrounding Card — the charts carry their own card chrome. Do NOT use StatusBadge, DataTable, or InfoRow here.2. Rep / team performance → a Column (gap 16) with a Card containing a DataTable (columns: rep, attainment, pipeline) next to or above a BarChart of quota attainment % per rep — no StatusBadge or InfoRow.3. Risk / health checks → a Column (gap 16): first a Row (gap 16) of 3 Metric components (ARR at risk $615k trend down, accounts at risk 3, biggest exposure Northwind $340k), then a Row (gap 16) with one compact Card per at-risk account (title = account name, subtitle = ARR at stake) containing a StatusBadge (error for high severity, warning otherwise) above a one-line Text with the reason and the recommended next action — no DataTable or InfoRow.4. Single account/entity details → a Row (gap 16) with a Card of InfoRow facts (owner, region, ARR, renewal date, last contact) next to a PieChart of that account's revenue by product line — no DataTable or StatusBadge.5. Part-of-whole follow-ups → PieChart; trends or comparisons over time/categories → BarChart.Compose generously — a dashboard should feel like a real analytics product, not a single widget.`;const A2UI_DYNAMIC_COMPOSITION_GUIDE = `${A2UI_DYNAMIC_SALES_DATASET}\n\n${A2UI_DYNAMIC_COMPOSITION_RULES}`;// Mirrors the langgraph-python demo's a2ui_dynamic.py SYSTEM_PROMPT.const A2UI_DYNAMIC_SYSTEM_PROMPT =  "You are the embedded sales analyst for Vantage Threads, the fictional " +  "B2B apparel company described in your App Context. Answer every " +  "business question by calling `generate_a2ui` to draw a rich visual " +  "surface, and keep the chat reply to one short sentence.\n\n" +  "Ground every number in the sales dataset from App Context — never " +  "invent figures that contradict it. Follow the dashboard composition " +  "rules from App Context when choosing components: pick the component " +  "by the shape of the question (snapshot → composed KPI dashboard with " +  "charts; team performance → table; risk → status badges; single " +  "account → info rows; part-of-whole → pie; trend/comparison → bar). " +  "Never ask the user which chart they want. `generate_a2ui` takes no " +  "arguments and handles the rendering automatically. Compose " +  "generously — a dashboard should feel like a real analytics product, " +  "not a single widget.";/** * Dedicated agent for the A2UI dynamic-schema demo. Wires NO `generate_a2ui` * tool — the runtime's `injectA2UITool: true` makes the adapter auto-inject it * and drive a secondary render planner to GENERATE the surface. */export async function buildA2uiDynamicAgent(): Promise<StrandsAgent> {  const strandsAgent = new Agent({    // Chat Completions API: the Responses adapter buffers tool-call argument    // deltas, which would defeat A2UI's progressive surface streaming.    model: await createModel({ openaiApi: "chat" }),    systemPrompt: A2UI_DYNAMIC_SYSTEM_PROMPT,  });  const config: StrandsAgentConfig = {    a2ui: {      defaultCatalogId: A2UI_DYNAMIC_CATALOG_ID,      guidelines: { compositionGuide: A2UI_DYNAMIC_COMPOSITION_GUIDE },    },  };  return new StrandsAgent({    agent: strandsAgent,    name: "a2ui_dynamic_schema",    description:      "Dynamic A2UI surfaces generated on the fly (auto-injected tool)",    config,  });}// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------// A2UI Error Recovery (a2ui-recovery) — adapter auto-injects + runs recovery.// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------//// Same auto-injected dynamic-schema setup as buildA2uiDynamicAgent, but the// aimock fixtures force the inner render_a2ui to emit free-form/sloppy args// (heal pill) or a structurally-invalid surface on every attempt (exhaust// pill). The Strands adapter runs the toolkit validate->retry recovery loop on// its auto-inject path (default 3 attempts) and returns the// a2ui_recovery_exhausted hard-fail envelope when the cap is hit — so this// agent wires NO tool, unlike the langgraph/ADK siblings (which own the tool// explicitly via getA2UITools + injectA2UITool:false). Mirrors the ag-ui dojo// aws-strands recovery example./** * Dedicated agent for the A2UI error-recovery demo. Wires NO `generate_a2ui` * tool — the runtime's `injectA2UITool: true` makes the adapter auto-inject it, * drive the secondary render planner, and run the recovery loop. */export async function buildA2uiRecoveryAgent(): Promise<StrandsAgent> {  const strandsAgent = new Agent({    // Chat Completions API: the Responses adapter buffers tool-call argument    // deltas, which would defeat A2UI's progressive surface streaming.    model: await createModel({ openaiApi: "chat" }),    systemPrompt: A2UI_DYNAMIC_SYSTEM_PROMPT,  });  const config: StrandsAgentConfig = {    a2ui: {      defaultCatalogId: A2UI_DYNAMIC_CATALOG_ID,      guidelines: { compositionGuide: A2UI_DYNAMIC_COMPOSITION_GUIDE },    },  };  return new StrandsAgent({    agent: strandsAgent,    name: "a2ui_recovery",    description:      "Dynamic A2UI with automatic error recovery (auto-injected tool)",    config,  });}

What is this?#

Frontend tools let your agent define and invoke client-side functions that run entirely in the user's browser. Because the handler executes on the frontend, it has direct access to component state, browser APIs, and any third-party UI library the page already uses. That's how an agent can "reach into" the app: update React state, trigger animations, read localStorage, pop a toast, or steer the user's view.

This page covers the "agent drives the UI" shape of frontend tools. The same primitive also powers Generative UI and Human-in-the-loop; see those pages for interaction patterns.

When should I use this?#

Use frontend tools when your agent needs to:

  • Read or modify React component state
  • Access browser APIs like localStorage, sessionStorage, or cookies
  • Trigger UI updates, animations, or transitions
  • Show alerts, toasts, or notifications
  • Interact with third-party frontend libraries
  • Perform anything that requires the user's immediate browser context

How it works in code#

Register a frontend tool with useFrontendTool. Give it a name, a Zod schema for parameters, and a handler. The agent can then call it like any other tool and your frontend runs it in the browser.

page.tsx
import React, { useState } from "react";import {  CopilotKit,  CopilotSidebar,  useFrontendTool,} from "@copilotkit/react-core/v2";import { z } from "zod";import { Background, DEFAULT_BACKGROUND } from "./background";import { useFrontendToolsSuggestions } from "./suggestions";function Chat() {  const [background, setBackground] = useState<string>(DEFAULT_BACKGROUND);  useFrontendTool({    name: "change_background",    description:      "Change the page background. Accepts any valid CSS background value — colors, linear or radial gradients, etc.",    parameters: z.object({      background: z        .string()        .describe("The CSS background value. Prefer gradients."),    }),    handler: async ({ background }) => {      setBackground(background);      return { status: "success" };    },  });

The handler receives the parsed, type-safe parameters and can do anything the browser can: update state, call an API, touch the DOM. Its return value is sent back to the agent as the tool result so the model can reason about what happened.

page.tsx
    handler: async ({ background }) => {      setBackground(background);      return { status: "success" };    },