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Inspect a Linux target

inspect_target
Read-onlyIdempotent

Probe one Linux machine — this host (local) or a remote host over SSH (ssh) — and report its OS, kernel, architecture, package manager, Node/npm, OpenCode, Docker, and per-tool detection flags, plus the names (never values) of credentials present. Read-only: it runs one shell probe as the target user (over SSH when mode:ssh), installs nothing, writes nothing, contacts no external service, and can take a few seconds per hop. Parameter semantics: target.mode selects local vs ssh (default local); target.host is required only for ssh; target.user defaults to the ssh config/current user; target.cwd sets the directory for relative checks; target.port/identityFile pass straight to ssh. Use it to see what a clone would touch, then plan_clone to turn that into an ordered plan and apply_clone to perform it.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
targetYesThe machine to operate on: this host (local) or a remote host over SSH (ssh).

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
hasYesDetection flags for git, curl, node, npm, corepack, pnpm, docker, uv, gh, opencode, sudo.
archNoCPU architecture (e.g. x86_64, aarch64).
homeYesHome directory on the target.
osIdNoOS identifier (e.g. ubuntu, debian, rhel).
userYesDetected user on the target.
shellNoThe target user's login shell.
kernelNoKernel name and release.
osNameNoHuman-readable OS name.
osIdLikeNoID_LIKE from /etc/os-release: space-separated distribution family hints.
configDirYesOpenCode config directory on the target.
npmPrefixNonpm global prefix, if npm is installed.
osVersionNoOS version string.
envPresentNoSpace-separated names of credentials present on the target (values are never read).
npmModulesNonpm global modules directory.
nodeVersionNoInstalled Node.js version, if any.
opencodeBinNoPath to the opencode binary, if installed.
skillsCountNoNumber of SKILL.md files under the target's ~/.config/opencode/skills.
dockerRunningNoWhether the Docker daemon is reachable.
packageManagerNoDetected package manager (apt-get, dnf, yum, apk, pacman, zypper, or none).
opencodeVersionNoVersion the opencode binary reports, without a leading v (e.g. 2.2.1).
workspaceDefaultYesDefault directory where the profile repo will be cloned.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed5 schema fields changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / npmPrefix
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "npm global prefix, if npm is installed.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / opencodeVersion
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Version the opencode binary reports, without a leading v (e.g. 2.2.1).",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / osIdLike
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "ID_LIKE from /etc/os-release: space-separated distribution family hints.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / shell
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "The target user's login shell.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / skillsCount
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Number of SKILL.md files under the target's ~/.config/opencode/skills.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
  2. First observed

TDQS

A4.8/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations cover readOnly/idempotent/openWorld, yet the description still adds real operational context beyond them: one shell probe as the target user, installs nothing, writes nothing, contacts no external service, and can take a few seconds per hop. It also discloses a privacy-relevant behavior (credential names only, never values) that no annotation conveys.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the verb and the report contents, then behavior, then parameters, then sibling routing — a sensible order with no filler prose. It is on the long side and the 'Parameter semantics:' recital partially duplicates the schema, costing a little density.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a nested-object, single-parameter probe tool with an output schema, everything an agent needs is present: what is inspected, side-effect profile, latency expectation, SSH vs local behavior, and where to go next. Return-value shape is correctly left to the output schema.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3, but the description adds meaning the schema does not: mode defaults to local, host is required only for ssh, user falls back to ssh config/current user, cwd governs relative checks, and port/identityFile are raw ssh passthroughs. The only shortfall is that these points largely restate the nested schema rather than adding edge-case behavior (e.g., what happens if host is supplied with mode=local).

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Specific verb+resource: 'Probe one Linux machine ... report its OS, kernel, architecture, package manager, Node/npm, OpenCode, Docker, and per-tool detection flags'. It also bounds its own scope (credential names, never values) and positions itself relative to siblings plan_clone/apply_clone, so an agent can separate it from the other inspection-adjacent tools without opening a schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicit sequencing guidance: 'Use it to see what a clone would touch, then plan_clone to turn that into an ordered plan and apply_clone to perform it.' It names the downstream alternatives and the condition under which they are used, plus the mode-selection rule (local vs ssh, default local).

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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