Get the clipboard (pasteboard) text copied on an iOS device. Returns the copied text (empty string if the pasteboard has none). Requires an active iOS automation session; the automation agent must be foregrounded to read the pasteboard.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| udid | Yes | iOS device UDID |
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries the burden. It discloses that this is a read operation (returns copied text), which implies non-destructive behavior. It adds the useful constraint that the agent must be foregrounded to read the pasteboard and that empty string is returned when nothing is copied. This is reasonable transparency for a read operation, though it doesn't detail what happens on session expiry or permission failures.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two sentences, zero waste. The first sentence states purpose and return behavior; the second covers the prerequisite. Front-loaded and efficiently structured with no filler.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given no annotations and no output schema, the description reasonably covers the basics: what it returns (empty string fallback) and a key prerequisite (foregrounded agent). It could add more—e.g., when changes made by the device user are visible, whether the pasteboard read is secure/sandboxed, or interaction with iOS privacy prompts—but for a single-param read tool, it's close to adequate. The absence of mention of the ios_clipboard_get_hid sibling as an alternative is the main gap.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 100% with only one parameter (udid) documented as 'iOS device UDID'. The description adds no additional meaning to the udid parameter beyond what the schema provides. With full schema coverage and a single self-descriptive param, the baseline 3 is appropriate; the description doesn't need to compensate.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the verb (get) and resource (clipboard/pasteboard text on iOS), and specifies the return value (copied text or empty string). It distinguishes from ios_set_pasteboard by being the read counterpart, though it doesn't explicitly name the sibling. The 'ios_get_pasteboard' name correlates with 'ios_set_pasteboard' and 'ios_clipboard_get_hid', but the description is specific enough about the read action.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description states a clear prerequisite ('Requires an active iOS automation session; the automation agent must be foregrounded'), which is useful usage guidance. However, it doesn't explicitly say when to prefer this over ios_clipboard_get_hid or device_clipboard_get, nor does it exclude when not to use it. The session/foreground requirement is contextual, not a contrast with alternatives.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.
The set contains near-identical duplicate families: web_* and playwright_* expose ~15 pairs of the same desktop-grid-browser operations (web_get_text/playwright_get_text, web_reload/playwright_reload), and screenshot/log/network/mock capabilities each have 5-8 entry points (device_screenshot vs android_mjpeg_screenshot vs ios_screenshot vs ios_fast_screenshot vs web_screenshot vs webpage_screenshot vs session_screenshot). Many individual descriptions carefully draw boundaries (devtools vs traffic, HID vs session), but an agent cannot reliably distinguish web_* from playwright_*, and ios_screenshot/ios_fast_screenshot/ios_mjpeg_screenshot blur together.
The prefix scheme is broken: Android functionality is split arbitrarily between android_* and device_* (device_screenshot vs android_mjpeg_screenshot), the desktop browser gets two parallel prefixes (web_* and playwright_*), and verbs vary across equivalents (device_navigate_url vs web_navigate vs ios_safari_navigate). session_* uses bare verbs (session_url, session_back), and the same concept gets different names (ios_clipboard_get_hid vs ios_get_pasteboard; device_screen vs ios_orientation).
333 tools is an extreme count by any measure — far beyond the 50+ threshold — and much of the bulk is duplicative (the web_*/playwright_* pairs alone double ~15 slots) or out-of-scope for a device-control server (TestRail, Jira, AzDO, agent memory, secret variables, feedback). Even granting that remote device control + test automation is a broad domain, this surface will devastate agent context budgets and is impossible to navigate coherently.
The core device-control and test-automation domain is remarkably thorough: Android and iOS each have full interaction, app-lifecycle, file, network/proxy, performance, crash, accessibility, recording, and replay coverage, with CRUD lifecycles for flows, suites, app uploads, TestRail cases, and visual-review baselines. Minor gaps exist at the margins — Jira/AzDO lack update/transition/comment operations, and iOS cannot open/close tabs — but the central workflows have no dead ends.
