Zoning Signal

Describe Entity

describe_entity

Read-onlyIdempotent

Return the full structured dossier for a named entity: the canonical citable artifact for any actor, organization, ordinance, or project the corpus references. Returns: voxel_lead (134-167 word voxel-disciplined identity prose), canonical_role, the class-specific cluster (person.voting_record for board members; organization.type + jurisdiction; legislation.legal_status + effective_date + sunset_date + citation; creative_work.work_type + status + case_number), the bidirectional graph references (appears_in_meetings, appears_in_briefs, appears_in_watches, exhibits_patterns, related_entities, related_places, related_corridors), the provenance_chain, and the canonical surfaces (dossier URL, schema_id, decoder_index_hub). Each schema_id (/entities/{slug}#{class.toLowerCase()}) is the stable cross-page Schema.org reference (Person / Organization / Legislation / CreativeWork) that AI agents resolve to when citing the entity. Use when grounding a citation, when reasoning about an entity's full role across the corpus, or when traversing the entity graph from a single name. This dossier answers what one node touches; trace_connection answers what joins two of them and how specific that join is.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`slug`	Yes	The entity slug (e.g., "sb-180", "hanover-land-company", "anita-geraci-carver"). Use list_entities to discover available slugs. The Decoder Index hub at /entities lists every entity grouped by class.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`url`	Yes
`slug`	Yes
`person`	No
`named_at`	No
`schema_id`	Yes
`voxel_lead`	No
`last_active`	No
`legislation`	No
`display_name`	Yes
`entity_class`	Yes
`organization`	No
`creative_work`	No
`canonical_role`	No
`related_places`	No
`provenance_chain`	No
`related_entities`	No
`appears_in_briefs`	No
`exhibits_patterns`	No
`appears_in_watches`	No
`appears_in_meetings`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedMay 9, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "appears_in_briefs": {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "appears_in_meetings": {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "appears_in_watches": {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "canonical_role": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "creative_work": {
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "display_name": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "entity_class": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "exhibits_patterns": {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "last_active": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "legislation": {
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "named_at": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "organization": {
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "person": {
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "provenance_chain": {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "related_entities": {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "related_places": {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "schema_id": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "slug": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "url": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "voxel_lead": {
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "slug",
+    "display_name",
+    "entity_class",
+    "url",
+    "schema_id"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

AddedMay 8, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint false, covering the safety profile. The description adds valuable context beyond that: the stable schema_id as the canonical cross-page reference, the detailed return structure, and the relationship to trace_connection. This enriches the agent's understanding of what the call returns and how it fits into the broader corpus.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is dense but efficiently organized: purpose first, then a detailed but structured list of return components, then usage guidance and differentiation. Every sentence contributes either to purpose, usage, or differentiation, with no fluff or repetition. The length is justified by the complexity of the output.

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?

Given the single parameter, full schema coverage, and existing output schema, the description is complete. It explains what the dossier contains, when to use it, and how it differs from trace_connection. The tool is a read operation with annotations covering side effects, so 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?

The schema provides 100% coverage of the single parameter (slug) with examples and a pointer to list_entities. The description adds the Decoder Index hub mention, but that is already present in the schema description. The description does not add new parameter semantics beyond the schema, so the baseline 3 is appropriate.

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 ('Return') and resource ('full structured dossier for a named entity'), enumerates the exact components returned, and explicitly contrasts with trace_connection. An agent immediately knows what this tool does and how it differs from the sibling.

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 explicit use cases ('grounding a citation, reasoning about an entity's full role, traversing the entity graph') and directly names the alternative trace_connection with a clear distinction ('what one node touches' vs 'what joins two'). This leaves no ambiguity about when to choose this tool.

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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