get_messageReturns headers, sanitized text body and the attachment list of one message. Body is truncated to the configured limit.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| uid | Yes | uid from search_messages | |
| folder | No | Default: Gmail All Mail, else INBOX | |
| account | Yes | list_accounts id | |
| max_chars | No | ||
| include_quoted | No | Keep quoted replies (default false) |
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| uid | Yes | ||
| text | Yes | ||
| folder | Yes |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
Input schema / properties / account / descriptionPrevious value: -"Account id from list_accounts"New value: +"list_accounts id"Input schema / properties / folder / descriptionPrevious value: -"Folder/label path. Defaults to All Mail on Gmail, INBOX elsewhere."New value: +"Default: Gmail All Mail, else INBOX"Input schema / properties / uid / descriptionPrevious value: -"uid from search_messages: a number on IMAP mailboxes, an id string on Outlook; pass it back exactly as returned"New value: +"uid from search_messages"Output schema / (root)Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+ "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+ "additionalProperties": {},
+ "properties": {
+ "folder": {
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ "text": {
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ "uid": {
+ "type": [
+ "string",
+ "number"
+ ]
+ }
+ },
+ "required": [
+ "uid",
+ "folder",
+ "text"
+ ],
+ "type": "object"
+}Input schema / properties / uid / descriptionPrevious value: -"uid from search_messages"New value: +"uid from search_messages: a number on IMAP mailboxes, an id string on Outlook; pass it back exactly as returned"Input schema / properties / uid / maxLengthAdded value: +512Input schema / properties / uid / maximumRemoved value: -9007199254740991Input schema / properties / uid / minLengthAdded value: +1Input schema / properties / uid / minimumRemoved value: -1Input schema / properties / uid / typePrevious value: -"integer"New value: +"string"Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely useful behavior not in annotations: the body is sanitized and truncated to a configured limit, and an attachment list is returned, telling the agent to expect possibly incomplete content.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two tight sentences with the payload description front-loaded and the truncation caveat immediately after; no filler, no repetition of schema fields.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
An output schema exists, so return values need not be explained, and the description still sketches the payload plus the truncation behavior. The main omission is how to retrieve untruncated body content or which folder the read defaults to in non-Gmail accounts, which the schema only partially covers.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 80%, so uid, folder, account, and include_quoted are already documented in the schema (max_chars is not). The description's only parameter-relevant contribution is the implicit link between truncation and max_chars; it adds no syntax, defaults, or range detail beyond the schema, so baseline 3 applies.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
States a concrete verb and resource ('Returns headers, sanitized text body and the attachment list of one message'), which is specific enough to separate it from get_thread and get_attachment by payload shape. It does not, however, explicitly name the sibling tools it is distinct from.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The phrase 'of one message' implicitly scopes usage to single-message reads, and the required uid parameter (documented in the schema as 'uid from search_messages') implies the search-then-fetch flow. But there is no explicit when-to-use or when-to-prefer-get_thread/get_attachment guidance.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
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