Optimize token usage by specifying available tools per mode

[PhunkyBob]

Right now, the prompt of Roo is almost always the same and it includes a lot of things that my be useless.
For instance, the MCP description part takes ~16k characters, even if I don't want to use MCP.

Since 3.7.8 we can customize it, but it's not easy.

Feature request

As a user of RooCode, I would like to optimize my tokens consumption to reduce the cost of the usage.

How?

• For each mode, I can decide which tools will be available and if MCP will be available.
• Each tool has it's own description, capability and rule.
• When creating the prompt for a mode, only instructions for selected tools will be included.

Technical pseudo spec

Tools configuration

• A config file contains a list of all available tools.
• Each tool contains the following attributes:
  • id
  • name
  • summary
  • description
  • capability
  • rule
• A file contains the whole "MCP" instructions".

Preferences

• In the "mode" section, in "Available Tools", a list of all tools is displayed using the nameattribute, based on the content of the "Tools Configuration" file. Each tool can be selected with check box.
  Side effect: this would allow the user to create custom tools.

Creation of the prompt

• The "Tools" section of the prompt is dynamic: for each selected tools (and only them), it will add:

## {id} ({name})
{summary}
Description: {description} 

• The "CAPABILITIES" section doesn't contains all tools capabilities by default.
  For each selected tools (and only them), it will add:

- {capability}

• The "RULES" section doesn't contains all tools rules by default.
  For each selected tools (and only them), it will add:

- {rule}

• The "MCP SERVERS" section would be only included if "Use MCP" option has been checked.

Example

• If the "execute command" isn't checked, the prompt doesn't have all the

• You can use the execute_command tool to run commands on the user's computer whenever [...]
  and the
• Before using the execute_command tool, you must first think about [...]
  paragraph.

• If the "Use MCP" option is not checked, the prompt doesn't have all the "MCP" part.

##Benefits

• This would save a lot of token usage.
• This would allow to finetune the prompt for each tool
• This would allow to create easily new tools

Related posts

#215
#1000

[GitTom]

It isn't just about optimizing token usage.

What so great about Roo vs Cursor? With cursor I had no idea what was going on and no control.

It's good to feel like you understand what is being sent and how to control it, and it's not just about controlling costs. It's about learning and understanding. And it encourages people to make their own custom modes.

[Joopz0r]

You can create your own prompts/rules. So should start seeing some pop up

[jezweb]

Even just having .roo/rules folders for each mcp would be great, so that targeted custom instructions can be read in IF the mcp is installed.

[jezweb]

Being able to turn an mcp on or off with a mode might be a useful useful too?