VectorSmith
Turns a tools.yaml contract into typed, tenant-guarded vector database tools that agents can use via Python imports or MCP.
README
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<img src="docs/assets/mark.svg" width="88" height="88" alt="VectorSmith"/>
VectorSmith
Your vector database, forged into tools an agent can actually use.
Write a tools.yaml. VectorSmith compiles it into typed, tenant-guarded tools — then you either import them in Python or serve them over MCP.
What it is · How it works · Write YAML · Python · Claude / Codex / Cursor · Try it · Docs
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Why this exists
Agents that talk to your invoices, tickets, or catalog usually get one of two bad options:
| Typical approach | What goes wrong |
|---|---|
| Vendor MCP (Qdrant / Pinecone / …) | Cluster admin tools. Upsert, delete, create-collection. The model can wander. |
| Hand-bind JSON schemas to LangChain / the OpenAI SDK | You re-implement filters, limits, and tenant isolation in Python. Every agent copies it. |
“Just embed and search() in the system prompt” |
No typed args. No enums. No hidden tenant = acme. |
VectorSmith is the third option: the data store stays yours. The tools are a YAML contract. The compiler turns that contract into MCP schemas or in-process tools. The agent never sees the URL, the API key, or the tenant filter.
you write VectorSmith the agent sees
───────────── ───────────────── ────────────────
tools.yaml ──▶ interpolate → validate → compile ──▶ search_invoices
tenant: acme Engine stays internal query, client, status
${QDRANT_URL} (no tenant, no URL)
How it works
flowchart LR
subgraph author["You"]
Y["tools.yaml"]
E[".env / ${VAR}"]
end
subgraph vs["VectorSmith"]
L["load + secret lint"]
V["validate VBxxxx"]
C["compile schemas + plan"]
end
subgraph out["Consume once"]
P["load_tools() / connect()"]
M["vectorsmith serve"]
end
subgraph hosts["Hosts"]
A["LangChain · LangGraph · Agents SDK · Anthropic"]
H["Claude · Codex · Cursor · claude.ai"]
end
Y --> L
E --> L
L --> V --> C
C --> P --> A
C --> M --> H
One file, two doors. Same compiled tools.
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| Python app | Chat / IDE host | |
|---|---|---|
| Install | pip install "vectorsmith[qdrant,langchain]" |
pip install "vectorsmith[qdrant]" so vectorsmith is on PATH |
| Call | from vectorsmith import load_tools |
vectorsmith serve tools.yaml --name invoices |
| Process | In-process. No subprocess. | The host spawns the CLI (MCP stdio or HTTP) |
| Mix-in | Your @tools + Slack/GitHub via an MCP client |
Other mcpServers keys sit next to it |
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You do not import an executor. You do not copy inputSchema into the LLM SDK.
Write a tool, not a prompt
A tool is a name, a description (so the model picks it), a collection, optional text search, parameters the model may pass, and filters it must never see:
tds_version: "1"
connections:
invoices:
backend: qdrant
url: ${QDRANT_URL} # secrets only here, only as ${VAR}
api_key: ${QDRANT_API_KEY:-}
tools:
- name: search_invoices
kind: search
description: >
Search invoices by free text and filter by client, status, or amount.
Use when the user asks about invoices, billing, or payments.
target: { connection: invoices, collection: invoices }
query: { param: query, required: false }
static_filters:
- { path: tenant, op: eq, value: acme } # hidden from the model
parameters:
- { name: client, path: client_name, dtype: keyword, op: eq }
- { name: status, path: status, dtype: keyword, op: in,
enum: [draft, sent, paid, overdue] }
- { name: min_amount, path: amount, dtype: float, op: gte }
output:
fields: [invoice_id, client_name, status, amount]
limit_default: 10
limit_max: 50
vectorsmith init ./demo writes a starter file. The full field list — kinds, operators, pipelines, built-ins, every backend — is in docs/tools-yaml-reference.md.
What the model sees
{
"name": "search_invoices",
"description": "Search invoices by free text and filter by client, status, or amount. …",
"inputSchema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"query": { "type": "string" },
"client": { "type": "string" },
"status": {
"type": "array",
"items": { "type": "string", "enum": ["draft", "sent", "paid", "overdue"] }
},
"min_amount": { "type": "number" },
"limit": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 50, "default": 10 }
}
}
}
tenant: acme is not in that schema. The engine ANDs it on every call. Credentials never leave connections.
Kinds you can declare
kind |
For | Typical tool |
|---|---|---|
search |
Semantic retrieve + filters | search_invoices |
lookup |
Exact id, limit 1 | get_invoice |
count |
“How many overdue?” | count_invoices |
scroll |
Filter / page, no ANN | list-style tools |
pipeline |
Retrieve → post_filter / group_by / sort / project |
top-N per client |
Built-ins (search_<connection>, get_<connection>_by_id, …) are opt-in on the connection. Turn them off if you already named a user tool the same way.
In your agent (Python)
pip install "vectorsmith[qdrant,langchain]"
from vectorsmith import load_tools
from langchain.agents import create_agent
tools = load_tools("tools.invoices.yaml", "tools.tickets.yaml")
agent = create_agent("openai:gpt-4.1", tools)
# … await tools.aclose()
Same YAML, other stacks:
from vectorsmith.langgraph import load_tools # create_react_agent / ToolNode
from vectorsmith.openai_agents import load_tools # Agent + Runner
from vectorsmith.anthropic import load_tools # messages.create(tools=vs.tools)
from vectorsmith import connect # await vs.call("search_invoices", {…})
| Extra | Import |
|---|---|
vectorsmith[langchain] |
from vectorsmith import load_tools |
vectorsmith[langgraph] |
same tools; LangGraph graph |
vectorsmith[openai-agents] |
from vectorsmith.openai_agents import load_tools |
vectorsmith[anthropic] |
from vectorsmith.anthropic import load_tools |
Worked apps: examples/langchain_agent · langgraph_agent · openai_agents · anthropic_agent.
In Claude, Codex, Cursor
Those products cannot import vectorsmith. They spawn a process. Point them at serve with the same YAML.
{
"mcpServers": {
"invoices": {
"command": "vectorsmith",
"args": ["serve", "tools.invoices.yaml", "--name", "invoices"]
}
}
}
Codex is TOML (~/.codex/config.toml), not JSON. Claude Code uses .mcp.json — it does not read the Desktop file.
| Host | Config | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Desktop | claude_desktop_config.json |
docs/integrations/claude-desktop.md |
| Claude Code | .mcp.json / claude mcp add |
docs/integrations/claude-code.md |
| OpenAI Codex | ~/.codex/config.toml |
docs/integrations/openai-codex.md |
| Cursor | .cursor/mcp.json |
docs/integrations/cursor.md |
| claude.ai | serve --http --auth builtin |
docs/quickstart-selfhost.md |
Copy-paste snippets: examples/mcp_hosts/. Slack, GitHub, filesystem stay separate servers — coexistence.
Stores
backend on a connection is one of six shipped adapters. Full matrix (extras, hybrid, nested paths): vector stores.
qdrant · pgvector · chroma · pinecone · weaviate · milvus
pgvector can run in table mode (no vector column) for lookup / count / scroll. Hybrid search is capability-gated (Qdrant / Weaviate / Milvus / Pinecone) and checked with validate --live.
Try it
The invoice example is a tools.yaml plus an env file. Copy .env.example and set QDRANT_URL to your cluster before validate / test / serve.
# clone, then:
uv sync
uv run vectorsmith validate examples/qdrant_invoices/tools.invoices.yaml \
--env-file examples/qdrant_invoices/.env.example
uv run vectorsmith test examples/qdrant_invoices/tools.invoices.yaml search_invoices \
--args '{"query":"Globex invoice","limit":3}' \
--env-file examples/qdrant_invoices/.env.example
uv run vectorsmith serve examples/qdrant_invoices/tools.invoices.yaml --name invoices \
--env-file examples/qdrant_invoices/.env.example
Tickets are a second file / second MCP name: tools.tickets.yaml → --name tickets.
CLI
| Command | Does |
|---|---|
init |
Write a starter tools.yaml + .env.example |
validate |
Compile + lint. --live pings the store. --strict fails on warnings |
test |
Call one compiled tool without serving |
serve |
MCP stdio (Desktop / Codex / Cursor; --watch on by default) or --http HOST:PORT (no watch). Default HTTP --auth is builtin (needs https --public-url). Localhost HTTP: --auth none. |
introspect |
Collection / field metadata to --out (default schema.json). Requires --connection. |
drafts / approve |
drafts list|reject NAME. approve NAME [--file tools.yaml] promotes into that file. Drafts live in ./tools.drafts.yaml (process cwd). |
auth |
rotate-secret | revoke for builtin HTTP OAuth |
validate exits 0 / 1 (--strict warnings) / 2 (errors). test and introspect use 3 on a live failure. serve --http --auth none off localhost exits 3.
Documentation
kjgpta.github.io/vectorsmith is the rendered manual (Material for MkDocs). Source is docs/.
| I want to… | Go here |
|---|---|
| Get a tool working in five minutes | Getting started |
| See which vector stores ship | Vector stores |
Understand every tools.yaml field |
YAML reference |
| Plug into Claude, Codex, Cursor, LangChain, … | Integrations |
| Look up a CLI flag | CLI |
| Call tools from Python | Python API |
| Fix Desktop disconnect / env / HTTP auth | FAQ |
| Copy a host config | examples/mcp_hosts |
| See agent apps | examples/ |
Develop
uv sync
uv run ruff check .
uv run pytest -m "not conformance"
uv run lint-imports
Workspace: packages/core (vectorsmith_core, unpublished) · packages/cli (published vectorsmith). Core must not import the CLI.
Contributing · Support · Security · Changelog · Code of conduct
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Forge the tools. Keep the store.
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