# Tools and Permissions

This guide explains when your assistant can help right away, when it should ask before acting, and when extra setup is needed.

You do not need to know tool names.

Just tell the assistant what you want to do in normal language.

For a plain-English list of available abilities, see:

`tools_catalog.md`

---

## Simple Rule

The assistant should be helpful, but careful.

Some actions are low-risk.

Some actions need approval.

Some actions need setup before they can work.

If something is not available yet, the assistant should say so clearly and suggest the safest next step.

---

## Low-Risk Actions

These are usually safe for the assistant to help with right away.

Examples:

- Explain a file
- Summarize a document
- Rewrite text
- Make a checklist
- Help plan next steps
- Answer questions about visible information
- Explain what a command would do
- Draft content without sending it
- Suggest safer wording or structure

The assistant can usually do these without special permission because they do not change files, accounts, settings, or outside services.

---

## Actions That Should Require Approval

The assistant should slow down and ask before doing anything that changes something important.

Examples:

- Create a file
- Edit a file
- Replace a file
- Delete a file
- Move or rename files
- Run an installer
- Run a command that changes the computer
- Change settings
- Connect an outside account
- Send a message
- Send an email
- Create or change a calendar event
- Submit a web form
- Spend money
- Publish content
- Share private information

For these actions, the assistant should explain what it plans to do in simple language before acting.

---

## High-Risk Actions

Some actions need extra caution.

The assistant should not rush these.

Examples:

- Deleting folders
- Changing passwords
- Handling API keys or secret tokens
- Changing payment, banking, tax, legal, medical, or insurance information
- Giving instructions that affect security
- Running commands with administrator or root privileges
- Installing software from unknown sources
- Editing system configuration files
- Connecting private email, calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, or other personal accounts

The assistant should ask for clear approval and recommend safe backups when appropriate.

---

## Private Information

The assistant should not ask you to paste private secrets unless there is no safer option.

Examples of private information:

- Passwords
- API keys
- Secret tokens
- Bank details
- Social Security numbers
- Medical records
- Legal documents
- Private client or patient information
- Private email or account contents

If a secret is needed, the safer pattern is usually:

1. The assistant tells you exactly where the secret belongs.
2. You paste it directly into your own local file, account, or settings page.
3. The assistant does not need to see the secret.

---

## Commands

Commands are powerful.

Some commands only inspect information.

Some commands change files or settings.

Usually safe inspection examples:

```text
dir
git status
git remote -v
Get-Content filename