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Describe Operation

describe_operation
Read-onlyIdempotent

Get a registered operation’s method, path parameters, query and body schemas. If a schema is absent, use app API documentation and validation feedback; do not invent accounting evidence.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
operationIdYes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observed

TDQS

B3/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

Annotations already declare this a safe, idempotent, closed-world read, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds real value by enumerating the returned sections and by stating the non-fabrication rule when a schema is missing, but says nothing about error behavior for an unknown operationId.

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?

Two sentences, front-loaded with the returned content, with the fallback rule second. The closing clause about accounting evidence is domain-flavored but still earns its place as a guardrail.

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 one-parameter read tool with no output schema, the description adequately covers what is returned. It is incomplete on the single input (where operationId comes from) and on behavior for unknown IDs, which is the main thing an agent could get wrong.

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

Parameters2/5

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

Schema coverage is 0% — operationId has no description in the schema. The description says 'registered operation' but never explains the 24-hex-character format, that it must come from search_operations, or what happens with an unregistered ID, so it does not compensate for the coverage gap.

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?

States a specific verb and resource (get a registered operation) plus the concrete payload: method, path parameters, query and body schemas. An agent knows exactly what comes back, though it never differentiates itself from search_operations, which appears to be the discovery counterpart.

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

Usage Guidelines2/5

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

The only guidance is a fallback rule for absent schemas (use app API documentation and validation feedback, don't invent accounting evidence). Nothing says when to pick this over search_operations or execute_read, nor how an operationId is obtained in the first place.

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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