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search_tools

Read-onlyIdempotent

Find tools by keyword. Returns name, toolset and a one-line summary only, no schemas. Free.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "query": "<query>"
    },
    "name": "search_tools"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
limitNoMaximum results, 1 to 50; default 15.
queryYesWords to look for in tool names and summaries, for example: merge pdf or mortgage.
toolsetNoOnly search this toolset, for example pdf or finance.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Added

TDQS

A3.7/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive, closed-world), so the description's real contribution is the return-shape disclosure: only name, toolset, and a one-line summary, with no schemas. That tells the agent it must make a follow-up call to get parameters, which is behaviorally important. 'Free' also discloses a cost property that no annotation conveys. It stops short of describing ranking, matching semantics, or result ordering.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Three short sentences, front-loaded with the action, then the return contract, then the cost note. Every clause carries information an agent needs and nothing is padded.

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

Completeness3/5

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

For a three-parameter read-only search tool with a fully documented schema and no output schema, the description covers purpose, return shape, and cost adequately. It leaves gaps on matching semantics (substring vs. fuzzy), result ordering, and what to do when nothing matches, which an agent needs in order to interpret an empty or noisy result set.

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

Parameters3/5

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

Schema description coverage is 100% and each of the three parameters (query, toolset, limit) carries its own inline description with examples and bounds. The prose adds nothing about parameter behavior, so the baseline of 3 applies.

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

Purpose4/5

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

The description opens with a specific verb+resource ('Find tools by keyword') and then states exactly what comes back ('name, toolset and a one-line summary only, no schemas'). It is unambiguously a meta-discovery tool, distinct in kind from the concrete sibling tools listed, though it never names a sibling or states the contrast explicitly.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

'Find tools by keyword' implies the use case (the agent does not already know the exact tool name), and 'Free' hints at a cost-based selection rule. But there is no explicit when-to-use/when-not, no guidance on searching before acting, and no mention of any alternative discovery path.

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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