Tool interface
Verify that the exact checkpoint and chat template support the intended tool-message format. A server exposing a tools parameter does not prove the model was trained to use tools.
AGENT USE CASE · SOURCE-FIRST
Tool Calling agents.
Tool calling is a system behavior, not a guarantee conferred by downloadable weights. Assess the model's tool-use training, chat template, serving parser, output validity and multi-step task success separately.
What must be evaluated?
Argument fidelity
Test JSON schema validity, required fields, tool selection, refusals and recovery after a failed call on an isolated set of realistic tasks.
Runtime configuration
Ollama, llama.cpp and vLLM expose different tool interfaces and parser requirements. Validate the selected runtime version and checkpoint together.
Security boundary
The application, not the model, enforces tool permissions, input validation, auditing, rate limits and human approval for sensitive actions.
19 catalog candidates and components
These model records are included by catalog modality or category, not by a verified task-success benchmark. Follow their primary sources before testing.
MiniMax-M3Core candidate · MiniMax Community LicenseInspect model →K2-Horizon-375B-A23BCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →MiMo-V2.6-Pro-RLCore candidate · mitInspect model →GLM-5.3Core candidate · otherInspect model →Kimi-K3Core candidate · otherInspect model →GLM-5.3-FlashCore candidate · mitInspect model →DeepSeek-V4.1-FlashCore candidate · mitInspect model →Qwen3.8-27BCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →InklingCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →NVIDIA-Nemotron-3-Ultra-550B-A55B-BF16Core candidate · otherInspect model →Muse-Glimmer-30BCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →gpt-oss-120bCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →gemma-4-26B-A4B-itCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →Mistral Small 4 119B A6BCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →K2-Horizon-3.7BCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →Mellum2.1-12B-A2.5B-ThinkingCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →K2-Horizon-MoVA-36B-A4BCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →Holo4-27BCore candidate · cc-by-nc-4.0Inspect model →Granite 4.2 30BCore candidate · apache-2.0Inspect model →
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Do all instruction models support function calling?
No. Tool APIs and model output fidelity are separate questions. Without model- and runtime-specific tests, support is unknown.
Does a tool call run by itself?
No. The application must validate the proposed arguments and decide whether and how to execute the tool.
READ THE ORIGINALS
Documentation and primary sources
REAL SOURCE EVIDENCE
Publisher-reported task results
Different benchmark versions are not comparable; no numbers below were independently reproduced by Open Model Weights.
Mellum2.1-12B-A2.5B-Thinking · BFCL v462.3 percent · publisher-reportedReview protocol and source →K2-Horizon-375B-A23B · tau3-Banking34 reported score · publisher-reportedReview protocol and source →K2-Horizon-375B-A23B · Toolathlon Verified65.3 reported score · publisher-reportedReview protocol and source →K2-Horizon-375B-A23B · MCPMark67.7 reported score · publisher-reportedReview protocol and source →
Evaluate before deployment.
Model metadata is source-linked; agent task success, tool-call reliability and production readiness require separate tests.
Review the methodology → Return to the explorer →