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Tool Output Trimmer

Built-in call_model_input_filter that trims large tool outputs from older turns.

Agentic applications often accumulate large tool outputs (search results, code execution output, error analyses) that consume significant tokens but lose relevance as the conversation progresses. This module provides a configurable filter that surgically trims bulky tool outputs from older turns while keeping recent turns at full fidelity.

Usage::

from agents import RunConfig
from agents.extensions import ToolOutputTrimmer

config = RunConfig(
    call_model_input_filter=ToolOutputTrimmer(
        recent_turns=2,
        max_output_chars=500,
        preview_chars=200,
        trimmable_tools={"search", "execute_code"},
    ),
)

The trimmer operates as a sliding window: the last recent_turns user messages (and all items after them) are never modified. Older tool outputs that exceed max_output_chars — and optionally belong to trimmable_tools — are replaced with a compact preview.

ToolOutputTrimmer dataclass

Configurable filter that trims large tool outputs from older conversation turns.

This class implements the CallModelInputFilter protocol and can be passed directly to RunConfig.call_model_input_filter. It runs immediately before each model call and replaces large tool outputs from older turns with a concise preview, reducing token usage without losing the context of what happened.

Parameters:

Name Type Description Default
recent_turns int

Number of recent user messages whose surrounding items are never trimmed. Defaults to 2.

2
max_output_chars int

Tool outputs above this character count are candidates for trimming. Defaults to 500.

500
preview_chars int

How many characters of the original output to preserve as a preview when trimming. Defaults to 200.

200
trimmable_tools frozenset[str] | None

Optional set of tool names whose outputs can be trimmed. For namespaced tools, both bare names and qualified namespace.name entries are supported. If None, all tool outputs are eligible for trimming. Defaults to None.

None
Source code in src/agents/extensions/tool_output_trimmer.py
@dataclass
class ToolOutputTrimmer:
    """Configurable filter that trims large tool outputs from older conversation turns.

    This class implements the ``CallModelInputFilter`` protocol and can be passed directly
    to ``RunConfig.call_model_input_filter``. It runs immediately before each model call
    and replaces large tool outputs from older turns with a concise preview, reducing token
    usage without losing the context of what happened.

    Args:
        recent_turns: Number of recent user messages whose surrounding items are never
            trimmed. Defaults to 2.
        max_output_chars: Tool outputs above this character count are candidates for
            trimming. Defaults to 500.
        preview_chars: How many characters of the original output to preserve as a
            preview when trimming. Defaults to 200.
        trimmable_tools: Optional set of tool names whose outputs can be trimmed. For
            namespaced tools, both bare names and qualified ``namespace.name`` entries are
            supported. If ``None``, all tool outputs are eligible for trimming. Defaults
            to ``None``.
    """

    recent_turns: int = 2
    max_output_chars: int = 500
    preview_chars: int = 200
    trimmable_tools: frozenset[str] | None = field(default=None)

    def __post_init__(self) -> None:
        if self.recent_turns < 1:
            raise ValueError(f"recent_turns must be >= 1, got {self.recent_turns}")
        if self.max_output_chars < 1:
            raise ValueError(f"max_output_chars must be >= 1, got {self.max_output_chars}")
        if self.preview_chars < 0:
            raise ValueError(f"preview_chars must be >= 0, got {self.preview_chars}")
        # Coerce any iterable to frozenset for immutability
        if self.trimmable_tools is not None and not isinstance(self.trimmable_tools, frozenset):
            object.__setattr__(self, "trimmable_tools", frozenset(self.trimmable_tools))

    def __call__(self, data: CallModelData[Any]) -> ModelInputData:
        """Filter callback invoked before each model call.

        Finds the boundary between old and recent items, then trims large tool outputs
        from old turns. Does NOT mutate the original items — creates shallow copies when
        needed.
        """
        from ..run_config import ModelInputData as _ModelInputData

        model_data = data.model_data
        items = model_data.input

        if not items:
            return model_data

        boundary = self._find_recent_boundary(items)
        if boundary == 0:
            return model_data

        call_id_to_names = self._build_call_id_to_names(items)

        trimmed_count = 0
        chars_saved = 0
        new_items: list[Any] = []

        for i, item in enumerate(items):
            if i < boundary and isinstance(item, dict):
                item_dict = cast(dict[str, Any], item)
                item_type = item_dict.get("type")
                call_id = str(item_dict.get("call_id") or item_dict.get("id") or "")
                tool_names = call_id_to_names.get(
                    call_id,
                    ("tool_search",) if item_type == "tool_search_output" else (),
                )

                if self.trimmable_tools is not None and not any(
                    candidate in self.trimmable_tools for candidate in tool_names
                ):
                    new_items.append(item)
                    continue

                trimmed_item: dict[str, Any] | None = None
                saved_chars = 0
                if item_type == "function_call_output":
                    trimmed_item, saved_chars = self._trim_function_call_output(
                        item_dict, tool_names
                    )
                elif item_type == "tool_search_output":
                    trimmed_item, saved_chars = self._trim_tool_search_output(item_dict)

                if trimmed_item is not None:
                    new_items.append(trimmed_item)
                    trimmed_count += 1
                    chars_saved += saved_chars
                    continue

            new_items.append(item)

        if trimmed_count > 0:
            logger.debug(
                f"ToolOutputTrimmer: trimmed {trimmed_count} tool output(s), "
                f"saved ~{chars_saved} chars"
            )

        return _ModelInputData(input=new_items, instructions=model_data.instructions)

    def _find_recent_boundary(self, items: list[Any]) -> int:
        """Find the index separating 'old' items from 'recent' items.

        Walks backward through the items list counting user messages. Returns the index
        of the Nth user message from the end, where N = ``recent_turns``. Items at or
        after this index are considered recent and will not be trimmed.

        If there are fewer than N user messages, returns 0 (nothing is old).
        """
        user_msg_count = 0
        for i in range(len(items) - 1, -1, -1):
            item = items[i]
            if isinstance(item, dict) and item.get("role") == "user":
                user_msg_count += 1
                if user_msg_count >= self.recent_turns:
                    return i
        return 0

    def _build_call_id_to_names(self, items: list[Any]) -> dict[str, tuple[str, ...]]:
        """Build a mapping from function call_id to candidate tool names."""
        mapping: dict[str, tuple[str, ...]] = {}
        for item in items:
            if isinstance(item, dict) and item.get("type") == "function_call":
                call_id = item.get("call_id")
                qualified_name = get_tool_call_trace_name(item)
                bare_name = get_tool_call_name(item)
                names: list[str] = []
                if qualified_name:
                    names.append(qualified_name)
                if bare_name and bare_name != qualified_name:
                    names.append(bare_name)
                if call_id and names:
                    mapping[str(call_id)] = tuple(names)
            elif isinstance(item, dict) and item.get("type") == "tool_search_call":
                call_id = item.get("call_id") or item.get("id")
                if call_id:
                    mapping[str(call_id)] = ("tool_search",)
        return mapping

    def _trim_function_call_output(
        self,
        item: dict[str, Any],
        tool_names: tuple[str, ...],
    ) -> tuple[dict[str, Any] | None, int]:
        """Trim a function_call_output item when its serialized output is too large."""
        output = item.get("output", "")
        output_str = output if isinstance(output, str) else str(output)
        output_len = len(output_str)
        if output_len <= self.max_output_chars:
            return None, 0

        tool_name = tool_names[0] if tool_names else ""
        display_name = tool_name or "unknown_tool"
        preview = output_str[: self.preview_chars]
        summary = (
            f"[Trimmed: {display_name} output — {output_len} chars → "
            f"{self.preview_chars} char preview]\n{preview}..."
        )
        if len(summary) >= output_len:
            return None, 0

        trimmed_item = dict(item)
        trimmed_item["output"] = summary
        return trimmed_item, output_len - len(summary)

    def _trim_tool_search_output(self, item: dict[str, Any]) -> tuple[dict[str, Any] | None, int]:
        """Trim a tool_search_output item while keeping a valid replayable shape."""
        if isinstance(item.get("results"), list):
            return self._trim_legacy_tool_search_results(item)

        tools = item.get("tools")
        if not isinstance(tools, list):
            return None, 0

        original = self._serialize_json_like(tools)
        if len(original) <= self.max_output_chars:
            return None, 0

        trimmed_tools = [self._trim_tool_search_tool(tool) for tool in tools]
        trimmed = self._serialize_json_like(trimmed_tools)
        if len(trimmed) >= len(original):
            return None, 0

        trimmed_item = dict(item)
        trimmed_item["tools"] = trimmed_tools
        return trimmed_item, len(original) - len(trimmed)

    def _trim_legacy_tool_search_results(
        self,
        item: dict[str, Any],
    ) -> tuple[dict[str, Any] | None, int]:
        """Trim legacy partial tool_search_output snapshots that still store free-text results."""
        serialized_results = self._serialize_json_like(item.get("results"))
        output_len = len(serialized_results)
        if output_len <= self.max_output_chars:
            return None, 0

        preview = serialized_results[: self.preview_chars]
        summary = (
            f"[Trimmed: tool_search output — {output_len} chars → "
            f"{self.preview_chars} char preview]\n{preview}..."
        )
        if len(summary) >= output_len:
            return None, 0

        trimmed_item = dict(item)
        trimmed_item["results"] = [{"text": summary}]
        return trimmed_item, output_len - len(summary)

    def _trim_tool_search_tool(self, tool: Any) -> Any:
        """Recursively strip bulky descriptions and schema prose from tool search results."""
        if not isinstance(tool, dict):
            return tool

        trimmed_tool = dict(tool)
        if isinstance(trimmed_tool.get("description"), str):
            trimmed_tool["description"] = trimmed_tool["description"][: self.preview_chars]
            if len(tool["description"]) > self.preview_chars:
                trimmed_tool["description"] += "..."

        tool_type = trimmed_tool.get("type")
        if tool_type == "function" and isinstance(trimmed_tool.get("parameters"), dict):
            trimmed_tool["parameters"] = self._trim_json_schema(trimmed_tool["parameters"])
        elif tool_type == "namespace" and isinstance(trimmed_tool.get("tools"), list):
            trimmed_tool["tools"] = [
                self._trim_tool_search_tool(nested_tool) for nested_tool in trimmed_tool["tools"]
            ]

        return trimmed_tool

    def _trim_json_schema(self, schema: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
        """Remove verbose prose from a JSON schema while preserving its structure."""
        trimmed_schema: dict[str, Any] = {}
        for key, value in schema.items():
            if key in {"description", "title", "$comment", "examples"}:
                continue
            if isinstance(value, dict):
                trimmed_schema[key] = self._trim_json_schema(value)
            elif isinstance(value, list):
                trimmed_schema[key] = [
                    self._trim_json_schema(item) if isinstance(item, dict) else item
                    for item in value
                ]
            else:
                trimmed_schema[key] = value
        return trimmed_schema

    def _serialize_json_like(self, value: Any) -> str:
        """Serialize structured tool output for sizing comparisons."""
        try:
            return json.dumps(value, ensure_ascii=False, sort_keys=True, default=str)
        except Exception:
            return str(value)

__call__

__call__(data: CallModelData[Any]) -> ModelInputData

Filter callback invoked before each model call.

Finds the boundary between old and recent items, then trims large tool outputs from old turns. Does NOT mutate the original items — creates shallow copies when needed.

Source code in src/agents/extensions/tool_output_trimmer.py
def __call__(self, data: CallModelData[Any]) -> ModelInputData:
    """Filter callback invoked before each model call.

    Finds the boundary between old and recent items, then trims large tool outputs
    from old turns. Does NOT mutate the original items — creates shallow copies when
    needed.
    """
    from ..run_config import ModelInputData as _ModelInputData

    model_data = data.model_data
    items = model_data.input

    if not items:
        return model_data

    boundary = self._find_recent_boundary(items)
    if boundary == 0:
        return model_data

    call_id_to_names = self._build_call_id_to_names(items)

    trimmed_count = 0
    chars_saved = 0
    new_items: list[Any] = []

    for i, item in enumerate(items):
        if i < boundary and isinstance(item, dict):
            item_dict = cast(dict[str, Any], item)
            item_type = item_dict.get("type")
            call_id = str(item_dict.get("call_id") or item_dict.get("id") or "")
            tool_names = call_id_to_names.get(
                call_id,
                ("tool_search",) if item_type == "tool_search_output" else (),
            )

            if self.trimmable_tools is not None and not any(
                candidate in self.trimmable_tools for candidate in tool_names
            ):
                new_items.append(item)
                continue

            trimmed_item: dict[str, Any] | None = None
            saved_chars = 0
            if item_type == "function_call_output":
                trimmed_item, saved_chars = self._trim_function_call_output(
                    item_dict, tool_names
                )
            elif item_type == "tool_search_output":
                trimmed_item, saved_chars = self._trim_tool_search_output(item_dict)

            if trimmed_item is not None:
                new_items.append(trimmed_item)
                trimmed_count += 1
                chars_saved += saved_chars
                continue

        new_items.append(item)

    if trimmed_count > 0:
        logger.debug(
            f"ToolOutputTrimmer: trimmed {trimmed_count} tool output(s), "
            f"saved ~{chars_saved} chars"
        )

    return _ModelInputData(input=new_items, instructions=model_data.instructions)