ReadFetch

readfetch_probe

Read-only

FREE — no payment or wallet: Free preflight on a URL before any paid readfetch_* call: HTTP status, content type, byte size, title, language, and whether a bot wall is waiting (challenge). When the response is HTML and not a challenge page, the JSON includes preview: up to 400 characters of the text readfetch_text would return (same extractor). Use readfetch_probe instead of readfetch_text when choosing a route or estimating size; if challenge: true, use readfetch_scrape (then readfetch_scrape_residential if still blocked), not readfetch_text. Plain HTTP only — no browser render.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`url`	Yes	Public http(s) URL to inspect.
`timeout_s`	No	Total budget for the whole call in seconds (default 10, max 60). Shared across redirects; does not apply to paid readfetch_text timeout_s on a follow-up call.
`accept_language`	No	Accept-Language header, e.g. 'de-DE,de;q=0.9'. Defaults to en-US.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`url`	No
`bytes`	No
`title`	No
`billed`	No
`status`	No
`preview`	No
`language`	No
`challenge`	No
`redirected`	No
`status_code`	No
`content_type`	No
`requested_url`	No
`content_sha256`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedNov 1, 2026
- changedOutput schema / properties / language / type
```
Previous value: -"string"New value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

Changed1 schema field changedNov 1, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / timeout_s / description

Previous value: -"Total budget for the whole call in seconds."New value: +"Total budget for the whole call in seconds (default 10, max 60). Shared across redirects; does not apply to paid readfetch_text timeout_s on a follow-up call."

Changed1 schema field changedNov 1, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "billed": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "bytes": {
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "challenge": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "content_sha256": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "content_type": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "language": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "preview": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "redirected": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "requested_url": {
+      "format": "uri",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "status": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "status_code": {
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "title": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "url": {
+      "format": "uri",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedNov 1, 2026

removedInput schema / properties / egress

Removed value: -{
-  "description": "Exit to leave through: `direct` (this service's own datacentre egress) or `residential` (a residential address pool, for targets that refuse datacentre addresses). Omit to use the default route.",
-  "title": "Egress",
-  "type": "string"
-}

First observedNov 1, 2026

TDQS

A4.6/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Annotations only say readOnly and openWorld; the description adds the material traits: zero cost ('FREE — no payment or wallet'), the hard limitation 'plain HTTP only — no browser render', the 400-character preview cap, and challenge-page detection. These are exactly the facts an agent needs to predict cost and failure modes before committing to a paid call.

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-loads the most decision-relevant fact (it's free) and moves through capability, preview, and routing in a logical order. It is dense but every clause carries information; the 'plain HTTP only' caveat sits last where it is easiest to miss.

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?

Even though an output schema exists, the description summarizes the return shape well enough for routing decisions, and it covers cost model, rendering limits, and escalation paths. For a three-parameter read-only probe, nothing an agent needs to call it correctly is missing.

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 coverage is 100%, so all three parameters are already documented including timeout scope across redirects and the Accept-Language default. The description adds no parameter-level detail (accept_language is never mentioned), so the baseline 3 applies.

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 ('free preflight on a URL') and enumerates exactly what it returns: HTTP status, content type, byte size, title, language, challenge flag, and a text preview. It explicitly positions itself against readfetch_text, so an agent can distinguish it from all 14 siblings without opening a 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?

Gives an explicit when-to-use ('choosing a route or estimating size') and an explicit routing branch: if `challenge: true`, use readfetch_scrape, then readfetch_scrape_residential, not readfetch_text. Both the alternative and the triggering condition are named, leaving nothing to inference.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All ReadFetch tools Inspect

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