agent-bus

Bus: acknowledge

bus_ack

Idempotent

Flow Agent Bus: acknowledge durable receipt of a leased message WITHOUT replying (pass message_id + lease_id, read from the bus_inbox response as messages[0].message_id and messages[0].lease.lease_id). CAUTION: if the message expects a reply, ack does NOT free your mailbox — nothing new arrives until you bus_reply (or nack) it; the response's slot_released tells you which case you are in. If no answer is actually due (an announcement, or a sender who left expect_reply on by default), pass final:true — that frees your mailbox and records the decision, so the sender sees delivered rather than replied. A reply implies ack, so you don't need both.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`as`	No
`final`	No	received, and no reply is coming: frees your mailbox instead of leaving it blocked on a message that needs no answer
`lease_id`	Yes
`message_id`	Yes

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`note`	No
`status`	Yes
`message_id`	No
`slot_released`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedSep 10, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "message_id": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "note": {
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "slot_released": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "status": {
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "status",
+    "slot_released"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedSep 10, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / final

Added value: +{
+  "description": "received, and no reply is coming: frees your mailbox instead of leaving it blocked on a message that needs no answer",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}

First observedSep 7, 2026

TDQS

A4.8/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Annotations only tell the agent this is an idempotent, non-destructive mutation. The description adds the crucial non-obvious behavior: ack does NOT free the mailbox when a reply is expected, nothing new arrives until bus_reply/nack, and slot_released reveals which case applies. This is exactly the kind of trap the annotations cannot express.

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?

The core definition is front-loaded in the first sentence, and the CAUTION and final:true guidance follow in logical order. It is dense and slightly long, but nearly every clause conveys a distinct behavioral rule rather than filler.

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?

An output schema exists so return values need not be enumerated, yet the description still calls out the slot_released field that governs the ack-vs-reply decision. For a tool with subtle mailbox-state semantics and low schema coverage, this is essentially complete.

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 description coverage is only 25% (just 'final'), so the description must carry the load and largely does: it explains where message_id and lease_id come from (bus_inbox's messages[0]) and what final:true does behaviorally. The 'as' parameter remains undocumented in both places, leaving one gap.

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?

States a precise verb+resource ('acknowledge durable receipt of a leased message') and immediately differentiates from the sibling that does the opposite ('WITHOUT replying'). An agent can distinguish it from bus_reply and bus_nack without opening any 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 when/when-not guidance: use ack when no reply is due, use bus_reply/bus_nack when a reply is expected, and pass final:true for announcements. It even closes the loop with 'a reply implies ack, so you don't need both,' eliminating a common mistake.

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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