OpenAI Launches Responses API with Shell Tool, Expanding Agent Capabilities

OpenAI has announced significant enhancements to its Responses API, introducing a shell tool for direct code execution, reusable agent skills, and server-side context compaction.

The shell tool provides a managed execution environment with Python 3.11, Node.js 22, Java 17, Go 1.23, and Ruby 3.1. Agent skills package reusable workflows into versioned bundles. Context compaction manages the context window automatically.

Glean's Salesforce-oriented skill increased evaluation accuracy from 73% to 85%. Triple Whale's agent navigated 5 million tokens and 150 tool calls without degradation.

These enhancements position the Responses API as a comprehensive foundation for autonomous agents.