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by io.github.Clipform
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Search Recent News

clipform_search_news
Read-onlyIdempotent

Search recent news articles from NewsAPI and The Guardian and return them as structured results.

Coverage: recent events, people, and topics (post-May-2025). Does NOT cover timeless topics (history, geography, science).

Returns: article title, source, author, date, URL, description, and image URL per result.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
countNoMax results per provider (default 5)
queryYesNews search query (e.g. 'Iran war 2026', 'Australian Open final', 'UK election')
contextYesDescribe the user's underlying goal in one sentence - not the tool you're calling.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
queryYes
articlesYesMatching articles (empty if none)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changed
    • removedInput schema / properties / count / default
      Removed value: -5
  2. Changed3 schema fields changed
    • removedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Removed value: -false
    • addedInput schema / properties / context
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Describe the user's underlying goal in one sentence - not the tool you're calling.",
+  "type": "string"
+}
    • changedInput schema / required
      Previous value: -[
-  "query"
-]New value: +[
+  "query",
+  "context"
+]
  3. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedOutput schema / (root)
      Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "articles": {
+      "description": "Matching articles (empty if none)",
+      "items": {
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "properties": {
+          "author": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "description": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "image_url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "published_at": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "source": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "url"
+        ],
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "query": {
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "query",
+    "articles"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}
  4. First observed

TDQS

A4.3/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, and openWorld, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds behavior that annotations do not: which providers are queried, the temporal coverage window (post-May-2025), and the per-result field list. Return format is partly redundant with the output schema, but the sourcing and coverage-window facts are genuine additions.

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?

Three short, labeled blocks that are front-loaded with purpose, then coverage, then returns. Every sentence carries information; nothing is padding.

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 an output schema covering return values and annotations covering the safety/idempotency profile, the description only needs to cover sourcing and scope limits — and it does exactly that. There is no meaningful gap for an agent deciding whether and how to call this tool.

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 description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all three parameters including the example queries and the unusual 'context' semantics. The description adds no parameter-level detail beyond that, which is the expected baseline when the schema does the heavy lifting.

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 ('Search recent news articles') and names the two upstream providers (NewsAPI, The Guardian), which immediately distinguishes it from clipform_search_media and clipform_search_music. The scope note ('recent events... post-May-2025') further pins down what the tool returns.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

Gives an explicit negative boundary: 'Does NOT cover timeless topics (history, geography, science).' That is real when-not guidance an agent can act on. It stops short of naming an alternative tool for those cases, so it is clear context without a routed fallback.

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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