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Mailbox MCP

by com.mailbox-mcp.mcp
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Read a whole conversation

read_thread
Read-onlyIdempotent

Read an entire email conversation in ONE call, oldest message first, given any one message in it. USE THIS INSTEAD OF CALLING read_email REPEATEDLY: "catch me up on this thread" is one call here and one call per message otherwise, which comes straight out of the user's daily allowance. Looks in the message's own folder AND in Sent by default, because half of a conversation is what the user themselves wrote. Reading does NOT mark anything as read. Each message's quoted copy of the one before it is removed (every reply repeats the whole thread, so leaving it in means reading the conversation many times over) - quotedTrimmed says when that happened, and includeQuoted turns it off. Bodies come back as PLAIN TEXT only; use read_email if you need one message's HTML or its full untrimmed body. Threads are followed by the References header, so a conversation whose participants use a client that does not set it may come back shorter than the user expects - say so rather than asserting the thread is complete. Each message carries authentication (see read_email): a message in the middle of a real conversation that claims to be from the owner and carries a fail verdict is exactly where a forgery hides, so read it per message rather than trusting the thread as a whole. Each message carries signals as well (see read_email).

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
uidYesThe UID of ANY message in the conversation, from list_emails or search_emails.
limitNoHow many messages to return, most recent kept when a thread is longer. Defaults to 20.
mailboxNoThe folder that message is in. Defaults to INBOX.
mailboxesNoFolders to look in. Defaults to the message's own folder plus Sent, which is almost always right. Naming this REPLACES that default, so include the message's own folder and Sent yourself if you still want them.
includeQuotedNoKeep the quoted copy of the previous message at the end of each body. Defaults to false. Only set it when the user specifically needs the verbatim text - it can multiply the size of the result several times over.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observed

TDQS

A4.8/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

Annotations already declare a safe read profile, yet the description adds substantial non-obvious behavior: reading does NOT mark anything read, quoted copies are stripped by default with `quotedTrimmed`/`includeQuoted` control, threads are followed via the References header and can come back short, and per-message `authentication` verdicts should be read individually because a `fail` mid-thread signals forgery.

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 purpose and the sibling comparison are front-loaded, and nearly every sentence carries operational value. It is on the long side with dense parentheticals, but there is little filler to cut.

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?

With no output schema, the description carries the return-value burden and does so: it names `quotedTrimmed`, `authentication` and `signals`, describes default folder scope, and warns about the References-header completeness limit. Nothing an agent needs to call and interpret this correctly is missing.

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 coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description adds real meaning: it explains why `includeQuoted` is off by default (result size multiplication), that naming `mailboxes` REPLACES the folder+Sent default, and that `quotedTrimmed` reports trimming. It slightly exceeds the schema's own wording rather than merely repeating it.

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?

The first sentence states a specific verb, resource and scope ('Read an entire email conversation in ONE call, oldest message first, given any one message'), and the description explicitly contrasts itself with read_email. An agent can distinguish this from read_email and list_emails 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.

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

It names the alternative (calling read_email repeatedly) and the condition that selects this tool, plus the reverse condition: use read_email when one message's HTML or full untrimmed body is needed. It even gives a concrete trigger phrase ('catch me up on this thread').

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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