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InstaMaps

by com.get-instamaps
OverviewDiscussionsAdmin

Make a map to keep, share or change

render_map
Idempotent

Only when the user wants a map to keep, share or change later: answers with places already show a map in the chat. Makes a hosted map (a link anyone can open, plus GeoJSON and KML for GIS tools and Google Earth) from up to 20 layers in one call. Each layer is pins (rows with lat/lng, or addresses placed for you, up to 200 addresses a call), lines or areas; one colour, or a colour per value of a field (color_by); a number field colours light to dark, in the bands the user asked for when given (bins: [25000, 100000] = under 25k, 25k to under 100k, 100k and over); names on the map if wanted (labels); up to 2,500 pins a map. Returns map_id: change the map later with update_map (the link stays the same). Same title as an earlier map = that map replaced in place, same link, the old version kept.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
binsNoWith from_run, source or rows and color_by on a number: band breaks.
rowsNoShortcut for a one-layer map: rows with lat/lng or addresses.
titleNoThe map's title (and how to find it again).
labelsNoWith from_run, source or rows: names on the map.
layersNoOne or more layers, drawn in order (later ones on top).
legendNo
sourceNoInstead of typing rows: { sheet: "<Google Sheets link>", tab?: "Sites" } (shared with the InstaMaps service account, or viewable by anyone with the link), { file: "<Drive link to a CSV or Excel file>" }, or { run: "<run_id from an earlier answer>" }. Columns are found by their headers (id, name, address or its parts, lat/lng); name them if they aren't obvious (id_column, address_column, lat_column, lng_column; from_column and to_column for road distances). Rows with coordinates are used as they are.
color_byNoWith rows: the field to colour the pins by.
from_runNoA run_id from an earlier answer: its rows as the map's pins (with color_by, bins and labels), in one call.
flood_zonesNoDraw the official flood zones under the layers: FEMA's in the US (they show from street level) and the Environment Agency's in England.
house_districtsNoDraw the House districts on the Nov 3 2026 ballot under the layers (US): the lines in force, Missouri's 2022 lines included (its 2025 map is blocked). A tap on a district counts the map's pins inside it.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / house_districts
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Draw the House districts on the Nov 3 2026 ballot under the layers (US): the lines in force, Missouri's 2022 lines included (its 2025 map is blocked). A tap on a district counts the map's pins inside it.",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}
  2. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / flood_zones
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Draw the official flood zones under the layers: FEMA's in the US (they show from street level) and the Environment Agency's in England.",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}
  3. First observed

TDQS

A4.8/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

Goes well beyond the annotations, disclosing the same-title replacement behavior ('that map replaced in place, same link, the old version kept'), the returned map_id, and hard limits (20 layers, 2,500 pins, 200 addresses/call). The idempotentHint=true is consistent with the stated replace-in-place semantics, and live_hazards discloses its snapshot/refresh behavior.

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 when-to-use condition and the core action, and every clause carries information. However, it is one dense run-on paragraph with heavy parenthetical stuffing, which costs some readability for an agent parsing it.

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 complex, 11-param creation tool with no output schema, the description covers what is produced (link, GeoJSON, KML), the return value (map_id), limits, and the update/refresh lifecycle. An agent has everything needed to call it correctly.

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?

With schema coverage at 91% the baseline is 3, but the description adds real meaning: a worked bins example ('[25000, 100000] = under 25k, 25k to under 100k, 100k and over'), color_by ramp-vs-category behavior, and labels. It does not explain several top-level params (legend, flood_zones, house_districts) though the schema covers them.

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 specific verb and resource — 'Makes a hosted map (a link anyone can open, plus GeoJSON and KML)' — and clarifies the scope (up to 20 layers, up to 2,500 pins). It also implicitly distinguishes itself from sibling answers that already show a map in the chat.

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?

'Only when the user wants a map to keep, share or change later' gives an explicit when-to-use condition, and the next clause gives the when-not ('answers with places already show a map in the chat'). It also points to update_map for later changes versus creating a new map.

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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