The tool-use design patterns that keep an agent reliable under real inputs.

In Lesson 3.10 of GROW Course 3 (Production Agentic Systems), Doug Liles works through it with you. Reusable tool-use patterns that hold up outside the demo.

What you'll take away

- Tool-use basics

- Schema and validation

- Failure handling

Chapters

(0:00) Cold open & the promise

(2:20) Tool-use basics

(4:41) Schema and validation

(7:02) Failure handling

(9:22) Composition patterns

(11:43) Reliability under load

(14:04) The artifact & what to do Monday

Study guide, slide deck, blog companion, infographic (free)

- https://fde.goodcombinator.ai/lessons/FDE_Lesson_3_10

Audio companion is AI-narrated using NotebookLM. Explainer video is human-produced.

Public release

This full FDE Certification audio lesson is available publicly as part of GROW by Good Combinator.

Continue in GROW Skills Library: https://goodcombinator.com/grow/library

Episode metadata

Show: GROW by Good Combinator

Course: Course 3 - Production Agentic Systems

Lesson: 3.10

Season/Episode: 3/10

Runtime: 16:25

Access label: public-full-lesson

Source channel: spotify

Source audio: app/lessons/assets/course-3/3.10/3.10 audio podcast.m4a

Taxonomy: Domain=Production Agentic Systems; Career stage=FDE; Skill level=Intermediate; Asset type=Lesson; Outcome=Build

CRM events: course_started, lesson_completed, cert_enrolled

Transcript and accessibility

Final transcript required before launch: https://goodcombinator.com/grow/courses/course-3/lesson-3.10/transcript

Accessibility requirement: reviewed audio, clear title, descriptive show notes, and transcript availability before launch.

Audio companion is AI-narrated using NotebookLM and disclosed here.

Credits

Host: Doug Liles

Producer: Good Combinator

Audio: NotebookLM AI narration (disclosed)