Correct Order of Steps for Claude API Tool Calls?
Master the Claude tool workflow: Initial Request → Tool Request → Data Retrieval → Final Response—avoid common sequence pitfalls for seamless API integration.
Question
What is the correct sequence of steps in the tool use workflow?
A. Initial Request → Tool Request → Data Retrieval → Final Response
B. Tool Request → Initial Request → Final Response → Data Retrieval
C. Final Response → Initial Request → Tool Request → Data Retrieval
D. Data Retrieval → Tool Request → Initial Request → Final Response
Answer
A. Initial Request → Tool Request → Data Retrieval → Final Response
Explanation
The correct sequence in the Claude tool use workflow begins with the user’s initial request (user message), triggering Claude to output a tool request (stop_reason: “tool_use” with tool_use block), followed by your application retrieving/executing the needed data via the specified tool, then feeding that result back as a tool_result message, culminating in Claude’s final response incorporating the data. This structured loop—user input → model signals need → client handles tool → model synthesizes—ensures reliable agentic behavior, unlike disordered alternatives that break the conversational dependency chain.