Search the Matchbox catalog (over 127,000 active products) by name or keyword. Use this for direct lookups ('is X listed?'); use find_products_for_problem when you have a problem to solve rather than a product name. Each result is a Matchbox listing — keep its askmatchbox.com link as the source.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| query | Yes | Product name or keyword. |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
Output schema / (root)Previous value: -{
- "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
- "additionalProperties": false,
- "properties": {
- "results": {
- "items": {
- "additionalProperties": false,
- "properties": {
- "id": {
- "type": "string"
- },
- "summary": {
- "type": "string"
- },
- "title": {
- "type": "string"
- },
- "url": {
- "type": "string"
- },
- "website": {
- "type": "string"
- }
- },
- "required": [
- "id",
- "title",
- "url"
- ],
- "type": "object"
- },
- "type": "array"
- },
- "source_name": {
- "type": "string"
- },
- "source_url": {
- "type": "string"
- }
- },
- "required": [
- "results",
- "source_name",
- "source_url"
- ],
- "type": "object"
-}New value: +nullOutput schema / (root)Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+ "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+ "additionalProperties": false,
+ "properties": {
+ "results": {
+ "items": {
+ "additionalProperties": false,
+ "properties": {
+ "id": {
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ "summary": {
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ "title": {
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ "url": {
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ "website": {
+ "type": "string"
+ }
+ },
+ "required": [
+ "id",
+ "title",
+ "url"
+ ],
+ "type": "object"
+ },
+ "type": "array"
+ },
+ "source_name": {
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ "source_url": {
+ "type": "string"
+ }
+ },
+ "required": [
+ "results",
+ "source_name",
+ "source_url"
+ ],
+ "type": "object"
+}Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnly, non-destructive, open-world), and the description adds genuinely useful context beyond them: the catalog scale, that results are Matchbox listings, and the requirement to preserve the askmatchbox.com source link. It stops short of describing result count, ranking, or pagination behavior, so it is not fully transparent.
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?
Three short sentences, each carrying distinct load: purpose/scope, sibling routing, and output handling. The routing rule and the source-link instruction are front-loaded rather than buried.
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?
For a one-parameter read-only search with no output schema, the description covers purpose, scale, alternative-routing, and how to treat returned links. Nothing an agent needs in order to call it correctly is missing.
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 coverage is 100%, so the single 'query' parameter is already fully documented with type and length bounds. The description's 'by name or keyword' restates the schema rather than adding syntax, matching, or formatting guidance, so the 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 specific verb and resource ('Search the Matchbox catalog ... by name or keyword') and quantifies scope (over 127,000 active products). It explicitly contrasts itself with the sibling find_products_for_problem, so an agent can disambiguate without opening either schema.
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?
Gives an explicit when-to-use ('direct lookups: is X listed?') and names the alternative plus the condition that selects it ('when you have a problem to solve rather than a product name'). This is exactly the routing guidance an agent needs, with no inference required.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.