# Henchman-AI Tool Usage Improvement Project Plan

## Overview
This document outlines a comprehensive plan to enhance the tool usage capabilities of the Henchman-AI agent system. The goal is to make tool interactions more efficient, intelligent, and user-friendly.

## Current State Analysis
The current tool system provides basic file operations, shell commands, and web fetching capabilities. Tools are invoked individually with stateless interactions and minimal error recovery.

## Improvement Categories

### 1. Error Handling & Recovery ✅
**Goal**: Make tool usage more resilient to failures
**Implementation Plan**:
- Add automatic retry logic with exponential backoff ✅
- Implement fallback strategies for common failure modes
- Add detailed error diagnostics and suggestions
- Create error recovery templates for different tool types

**Status**: Implemented - Retry utilities with exponential backoff for NETWORK tools
**Priority**: High
**Estimated Effort**: 2-3 weeks

### 2. Tool Chaining & Pipelining
**Goal**: Enable seamless data flow between tools
**Implementation Plan**:
- Design a pipeline DSL for tool composition
- Implement output/input type matching system
- Create pipeline execution engine
- Add pipeline visualization and debugging

**Priority**: High
**Estimated Effort**: 3-4 weeks

### 3. Context-Aware Tool Selection
**Goal**: Intelligent tool recommendation based on context
**Implementation Plan**:
- Build tool usage pattern analyzer
- Implement file type detection and appropriate tool mapping
- Create context-aware tool suggestion engine
- Add learning from user preferences

**Priority**: Medium
**Estimated Effort**: 2-3 weeks

### 4. Batch Operations ✅
**Goal**: Support efficient bulk operations
**Implementation Plan**:
- Design batch operation API ✅
- Implement parallel execution for independent operations ✅
- Add progress tracking for batch jobs
- Create batch operation templates

**Status**: Implemented - execute_batch() with asyncio.gather() for parallel execution
**Priority**: Medium
**Estimated Effort**: 2 weeks

### 5. Interactive Preview Mode
**Goal**: Safe editing with preview capabilities
**Implementation Plan**:
- Implement diff generation for file changes
- Create preview interface for tool outputs
- Add confirmation workflows for destructive operations
- Design undo/redo capability

**Priority**: Medium
**Estimated Effort**: 2-3 weeks

### 6. State Management
**Goal**: Maintain context across tool interactions
**Implementation Plan**:
- Design session state management system
- Implement tool usage history tracking
- Create context persistence across turns
- Add state visualization and management tools

**Priority**: Low
**Estimated Effort**: 3 weeks

### 7. Tool Composition
**Goal**: Create higher-level tools from basic ones
**Implementation Plan**:
- Design tool composition language
- Implement tool template system
- Create tool library with common compositions
- Add tool composition sharing mechanism

**Priority**: Medium
**Estimated Effort**: 3 weeks

### 8. Progress Feedback
**Goal**: Provide real-time feedback for long operations
**Implementation Plan**:
- Implement progress tracking framework
- Create progress visualization components
- Add estimated time remaining calculations
- Design interruptible operations

**Priority**: Low
**Estimated Effort**: 2 weeks

### 9. Resource Management
**Goal**: Efficient handling of large resources
**Implementation Plan**:
- Implement streaming file processing
- Add memory usage monitoring and limits
- Create resource cleanup mechanisms
- Design pagination for large outputs

**Priority**: Medium
**Estimated Effort**: 2 weeks

### 10. Tool Validation & Safety
**Goal**: Prevent errors through validation
**Implementation Plan**:
- Create comprehensive parameter validation system
- Implement pre-execution safety checks
- Add tool-specific validation rules
- Design validation feedback system

**Priority**: High
**Estimated Effort**: 2 weeks

### 11. Learning from Usage Patterns
**Goal**: Adaptive tool behavior based on usage
**Implementation Plan**:
- Implement usage pattern collection
- Create pattern analysis engine
- Design adaptive tool suggestions
- Add user preference learning

**Priority**: Low
**Estimated Effort**: 4 weeks

### 12. Cross-Tool Optimization
**Goal**: Optimize sequences of tool calls
**Implementation Plan**:
- Implement tool call caching system
- Create dependency analysis for tool sequences
- Design optimization rules engine
- Add performance monitoring

**Priority**: Low
**Estimated Effort**: 3 weeks

### 13. Better Documentation Integration
**Goal**: Inline help and examples
**Implementation Plan**:
- Enhance tool documentation system
- Create interactive help with examples
- Implement context-sensitive documentation
- Add tool tutorial system

**Priority**: Medium
**Estimated Effort**: 2 weeks

### 14. Tool Discovery & Suggestions
**Goal**: Help users find the right tools
**Implementation Plan**:
- Create tool discovery interface
- Implement intent-based tool matching
- Add tool recommendation engine
- Design tool exploration features

**Priority**: Medium
**Estimated Effort**: 2 weeks

### 15. Permission & Safety Controls
**Goal**: Configurable security boundaries
**Implementation Plan**:
- Design permission system architecture
- Implement tool access controls
- Create safety confirmation workflows
- Add audit logging for sensitive operations

**Priority**: High
**Estimated Effort**: 3 weeks

## Implementation Phases

### Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-6)
1. Error Handling & Recovery
2. Tool Validation & Safety
3. Permission & Safety Controls

### Phase 2: Intelligence (Weeks 7-12)
1. Context-Aware Tool Selection
2. Tool Discovery & Suggestions
3. Better Documentation Integration

### Phase 3: Efficiency (Weeks 13-18)
1. Tool Chaining & Pipelining
2. Batch Operations
3. Resource Management

### Phase 4: User Experience (Weeks 19-24)
1. Interactive Preview Mode
2. Progress Feedback
3. Tool Composition

### Phase 5: Advanced Features (Weeks 25-30)
1. State Management
2. Learning from Usage Patterns
3. Cross-Tool Optimization

## Success Metrics
- 50% reduction in tool usage errors
- 30% improvement in task completion time
- 40% increase in user satisfaction scores
- 25% reduction in manual tool selection

## Risks & Mitigations
1. **Performance Overhead**: Monitor and optimize critical paths
2. **Complexity Creep**: Maintain backward compatibility
3. **Security Concerns**: Implement thorough security reviews
4. **User Adoption**: Provide gradual migration paths

## Dependencies
- Current tool system architecture
- User feedback and usage patterns
- Available development resources

## Next Steps
1. Review current tool implementation code
2. Create detailed design documents for Phase 1
3. Set up development environment and testing infrastructure
4. Begin implementation of error handling improvements

## Conclusion
This comprehensive improvement plan will transform Henchman-AI's tool usage from basic command execution to an intelligent, efficient, and user-friendly system. The phased approach ensures manageable development while delivering continuous value to users.

Last Updated: $(date)
Project Lead: [To be assigned]
Status: Planning Phase