faostat-mcp-server

faostat-mcp-server: dataframe describe

faostat_dataframe_describe

Read-onlyIdempotent

List the canvas tables (faostat_xxxxxxxx) staged by faostat_query_observations and faostat_commodity_profile, each with its source tool, the query parameters that produced it, creation/expiry timestamps, row count, and column schema. Call this before faostat_dataframe_query to discover the exact table and column names to reference in SQL. Tables are listed newest-first and paged: pass name to describe one table outright, or page with offset + limit — when the response reports truncated, pass the returned nextOffset to fetch the rest.

Tool call template

This tool declares no required parameters. Add optional parameters from the input schema as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {},
    "name": "faostat_dataframe_describe"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`name`	No	Optional table name (faostat_xxxxxxxx) to describe a single staged table. Takes precedence over `offset` / `limit`, which are ignored for a name lookup (always single-page).
`limit`	No	Maximum staged tables to return on this page (max 100). Each entry carries a full column schema, so the default keeps a discovery call small.
`offset`	No	Zero-based pagination offset into the staged tables (newest first). When the response reports truncated, pass the returned nextOffset here to fetch the next page. Ignored for `name` lookups.
`canvas_id`	No	Optional canvas ID as returned by a prior faostat_query_observations / faostat_commodity_profile call — exactly 10 characters of letters, digits, hyphens, and underscores. Omit to list the tables staged in this session (the common case).

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`error`	No	Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
`notice`	No	Guidance when nothing is staged yet or more pages remain.
`tables`	No	Active staged tables for this session, newest first — one page of them. Empty when none are staged.
`truncated`	No	True when more staged tables remain beyond the returned page — fetch them with nextOffset. Always false for a single-table `name` lookup, which is never paged.
`nextOffset`	No	Offset to pass on the next call to fetch the following page. Present only when truncated is true; absent on the last page and for `name` lookups.
`totalMatches`	No	Staged tables on the resolved canvas, before the page limit is applied.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedOct 28, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / tables / items / properties / expires_at / description

Previous value: -"ISO 8601 expiry timestamp. Sliding TTL touched on every staged-table op."New value: +"ISO 8601 expiry timestamp recorded when this table was staged."

Changed2 schema fields changedSep 19, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / canvas_id / description

Previous value: -"Optional canvas ID from a prior faostat_query_observations / faostat_commodity_profile call. Omit to list the tables staged in this session (the common case)."New value: +"Optional canvas ID as returned by a prior faostat_query_observations / faostat_commodity_profile call — exactly 10 characters of letters, digits, hyphens, and underscores. Omit to list the tables staged in this session (the common case)."

addedInput schema / properties / canvas_id / pattern
```
Added value: +"^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{10}$"
```

Changed14 schema fields changedAug 25, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

addedInput schema / properties / limit

Added value: +{
+  "default": 20,
+  "description": "Maximum staged tables to return on this page (max 100). Each entry carries a full column schema, so the default keeps a discovery call small.",
+  "maximum": 100,
+  "minimum": 1,
+  "type": "integer"
+}

changedInput schema / properties / name / description

Previous value: -"Optional table name (faostat_xxxxxxxx) to describe a single staged table. Omit to list all."New value: +"Optional table name (faostat_xxxxxxxx) to describe a single staged table. Takes precedence over `offset` / `limit`, which are ignored for a name lookup (always single-page)."

addedInput schema / properties / offset

Added value: +{
+  "default": 0,
+  "description": "Zero-based pagination offset into the staged tables (newest first). When the response reports truncated, pass the returned nextOffset here to fetch the next page. Ignored for `name` lookups.",
+  "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+  "minimum": 0,
+  "type": "integer"
+}

changedOutput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedOutput schema / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "tables",
+      "totalMatches",
+      "truncated"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / error

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
+  "properties": {
+    "code": {
+      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
+      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "properties": {
+        "reason": {
+          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `canvas_disabled`: The DataCanvas service is not configured for this deployment. `canvas_not_found`: An explicit canvas_id does not resolve to a live canvas — unknown, expired, or owned by another tenant. `missing_table`: A name filter was supplied but no staged table on the resolved canvas matches it. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "canvas_disabled",
+            "canvas_not_found",
+            "missing_table"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "recovery": {
+          "additionalProperties": {},
+          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
+          "properties": {
+            "hint": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "hint"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "retryable": {
+          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "code",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / nextOffset

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Offset to pass on the next call to fetch the following page. Present only when truncated is true; absent on the last page and for `name` lookups.",
+  "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+  "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+  "type": "integer"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / notice

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Guidance when nothing is staged yet or more pages remain.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

changedOutput schema / properties / tables / description

Previous value: -"Active staged tables for this session, newest first. Empty when none are staged."New value: +"Active staged tables for this session, newest first — one page of them. Empty when none are staged."

addedOutput schema / properties / totalMatches

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Staged tables on the resolved canvas, before the page limit is applied.",
+  "type": "number"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / truncated

Added value: +{
+  "description": "True when more staged tables remain beyond the returned page — fetch them with nextOffset. Always false for a single-table `name` lookup, which is never paged.",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}

removedOutput schema / required
```
Removed value: -[
-  "tables"
-]
```

First observedJun 16, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already cover safety (readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, closed-world), and the description adds genuine behavioral context beyond them: newest-first ordering, pagination with a `truncated` signal and `nextOffset` continuation, and that name lookups are always single-page. It doesn't state expiry semantics in detail (tables carry expiry timestamps but the consequence of expiry is unstated), which keeps it from a 5.

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?

Three sentences, front-loaded with what the tool returns before the call-ordering guidance, with no filler. Minor redundancy: the precedence and nextOffset rules appear in both the description and the parameter schemas.

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?

An output schema exists, so return values needn't be explained, and annotations carry the safety profile. The description still supplies everything an agent needs to invoke it correctly: when to call it, the two invocation modes, and how to continue a paged listing.

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% and the schema descriptions already state that `name` takes precedence over `offset`/`limit` and that `nextOffset` should be fed back. The description restates this pagination contract in prose, which reinforces but does not materially extend what the schema provides.

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 ('List the canvas tables (faostat_xxxxxxxx) staged by...') and enumerates what each entry carries: source tool, query parameters, timestamps, row count, column schema. It also names the sibling it feeds into (faostat_dataframe_query), so an agent can distinguish it from the query tools 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?

Explicitly prescribes call ordering ('Call this before faostat_dataframe_query to discover the exact table and column names to reference in SQL') and explains the two modes: name lookup versus offset/limit paging. The truncated/nextOffset continuation rule tells the agent exactly what to do on a partial response.

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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