[BUG] Strands import tools from `tools/tools.py` even when no tools are imported.

[samadwar]

Checks

• I have updated to the lastest minor and patch version of Strands
• I have checked the documentation and this is not expected behavior
• I have searched ./issues and there are no duplicates of my issue

Strands Version

0.2.1

Python Version

3.12.9

Operating System

Running on Amazon SageMaker AI - Code Editor - space ver 3.20

Installation Method

pip

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install strands
2. Have a folder structure where you have file tools\tools.py
3. in tools.py have any number of strands tools
4. Now if my code is:

>>> from strands import Agent
>>> from strands.models import BedrockModel
>>> model = BedrockModel(region_name="us-west-2")
>>> agent = Agent(model=model)
>>> agent("What tools do you have access to?")
I have access to the following tools:

1. `baggage_researcher` - This tool allows me to research luggage items based on an image and description. It analyzes the information to identify brand, model, age, and market value to help determine fair compensation for damaged items. It requires two parameters:
   - baggage_image_path: Path to the baggage image
   - baggage_description: Description of the baggage
.
.
.

If you check the code above, I did not import tools.py or any tools, yet my agent have the tools that I have inside tools\tools.py

Expected Behavior

Agent should not import tools by itself

Actual Behavior

Agent is automatically importing tools from a folder that it shouldn't import from

Additional Context

No response

Possible Solution

No response

Related Issues

No response

[zastrowm]

Strands by default loads tools from the tools directory. To turn this behavior off, you can specify:

agent = Agent(load_tools_from_directory=False)

Related documentation. Does that work for you?

[samadwar]

Strands by default loads tools from the tools directory. To turn this behavior off, you can specify:

agent = Agent(load_tools_from_directory=False)

Related documentation. Does that work for you?

Yes, it does work, Thank you.

However, in my original code when I started seeing this behavior, I am passing tools=[]. So to have auto-loading override my code, and having no log to say tools being autoloaded is very unhelpful. I think the original behaviour should be turned off by default rather than the oppositie. And there should be some log INFO message to say that auto-loading is on and it will load tools to agents.

Also, I think tools that are auto loaded should be in a folder called tools/autoload instead of tools/?

[zastrowm]

Via #419 this defaults to False by default starting in 1.0