search_tools
Rank MCP servers/APIs for a job. Returns shortlist with health, price_band, install snippet.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| job | Yes | What the agent needs to do | |
| auth | No | ||
| limit | No | ||
| budget | No | ||
| runtime | No | e.g. mcp, api |
Rank MCP servers/APIs for a job. Returns shortlist with health, price_band, install snippet.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| job | Yes | What the agent needs to do | |
| auth | No | ||
| limit | No | ||
| budget | No | ||
| runtime | No | e.g. mcp, api |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full behavioral burden. It discloses the return fields (health, price_band, install snippet), but says nothing about read-only safety, authentication needs, ranking criteria, or rate limits.
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 short sentences with no wasted words; purpose is front-loaded and return information follows. It is efficient, though extremely terse for a tool with five parameters.
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?
For a 5-parameter tool with no annotations, low schema coverage, and no output schema, the description is insufficient. It omits usage guidance, parameter semantics, and safety traits that an agent would need to invoke it correctly.
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 only 40%, so the description must compensate for undocumented parameters. It implies the 'job' parameter but gives no meaning for auth, limit, budget, or runtime, and does not explain the budget enum values.
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?
States a specific verb (Rank) and resource (MCP servers/APIs) scoped to a job, making the core action clear. It does not distinguish itself from siblings get_tool or list_fresh, so an agent must infer the boundary.
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?
No when-to-use guidance, no prerequisites, and no explicit alternatives. The phrase 'for a job' implies a search context but does not tell an agent when to choose this over get_tool or list_fresh.
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.