Utility Matrix

CI/CD Pipeline Cost Calculator

pipeline-cost-calculator

Read-onlyIdempotent

Use this when a user asks how much their GitHub Actions CI/CD pipeline costs per month. Takes average job duration in minutes, jobs per run, runs per month and the runner label (ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, macos-latest or self-hosted; matched case-insensitively). Uses GitHub list prices for standard hosted runners effective 1 Jan 2026 and GitHub Free's 2,000 included minutes for private repositories, drawn at list price. Self-hosted minutes carry no GitHub charge.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`runner`	No	Runner label, for example ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, macos-latest or self-hosted. Matched case-insensitively; defaults to Linux.
`avg_job_min`	Yes	Average job duration in minutes.
`jobs_per_run`	Yes	Jobs per workflow run.
`runs_per_month`	Yes	Workflow runs per month.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`severity`	Yes
`next_step`	Yes
`rates_as_of`	Yes
`runner_type`	Yes
`next_step_url`	Yes
`why_follow_up`	Yes
`interpretation`	Yes
`billable_minutes`	Yes
`included_minutes`	Yes
`monthly_cost_usd`	Yes
`affiliate_context`	No
`computation_basis`	Yes
`runner_multiplier`	Yes
`rate_per_minute_usd`	Yes
`included_minutes_used`	Yes
`total_minutes_per_month`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed18 schema fields changedOct 11, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / avg_job_min / description

Previous value: -"avg job min used by this deterministic tool."New value: +"Average job duration in minutes."

changedInput schema / properties / avg_job_min / examples
```
Previous value: -[
-  1
-]New value: +[
+  8
+]
```
addedInput schema / properties / avg_job_min / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```

changedInput schema / properties / jobs_per_run / description

Previous value: -"jobs per run used by this deterministic tool."New value: +"Jobs per workflow run."

changedInput schema / properties / jobs_per_run / examples
```
Previous value: -[
-  1
-]New value: +[
+  4
+]
```
addedInput schema / properties / jobs_per_run / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```

changedInput schema / properties / runner / description

Previous value: -"runner used by this deterministic tool."New value: +"Runner label, for example ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, macos-latest or self-hosted. Matched case-insensitively; defaults to Linux."

changedInput schema / properties / runner / examples

Previous value: -[
-  "example"
-]New value: +[
+  "ubuntu-latest"
+]

addedInput schema / properties / runner / maxLength
```
Added value: +128
```

changedInput schema / properties / runs_per_month / description

Previous value: -"runs per month used by this deterministic tool."New value: +"Workflow runs per month."

changedInput schema / properties / runs_per_month / examples
```
Previous value: -[
-  1
-]New value: +[
+  500
+]
```
addedInput schema / properties / runs_per_month / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```
addedOutput schema / properties / included_minutes
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "number"
+}
```
addedOutput schema / properties / included_minutes_used
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "number"
+}
```
addedOutput schema / properties / rate_per_minute_usd
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "number"
+}
```
addedOutput schema / properties / rates_as_of
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```
addedOutput schema / properties / runner_type
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```

changedOutput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "billable_minutes",
-  "computation_basis",
-  "interpretation",
-  "monthly_cost_usd",
-  "next_step",
-  "next_step_url",
-  "runner_multiplier",
-  "severity",
-  "total_minutes_per_month",
-  "why_follow_up"
-]New value: +[
+  "billable_minutes",
+  "computation_basis",
+  "included_minutes",
+  "included_minutes_used",
+  "interpretation",
+  "monthly_cost_usd",
+  "next_step",
+  "next_step_url",
+  "rate_per_minute_usd",
+  "rates_as_of",
+  "runner_multiplier",
+  "runner_type",
+  "severity",
+  "total_minutes_per_month",
+  "why_follow_up"
+]

Changed10 schema fields changedSep 28, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / avg_job_min / description

Added value: +"avg job min used by this deterministic tool."

addedInput schema / properties / avg_job_min / examples
```
Added value: +[
+  1
+]
```

addedInput schema / properties / jobs_per_run / description

Added value: +"jobs per run used by this deterministic tool."

addedInput schema / properties / jobs_per_run / examples
```
Added value: +[
+  1
+]
```

addedInput schema / properties / runner / description

Added value: +"runner used by this deterministic tool."

addedInput schema / properties / runner / examples
```
Added value: +[
+  "example"
+]
```

addedInput schema / properties / runs_per_month / description

Added value: +"runs per month used by this deterministic tool."

addedInput schema / properties / runs_per_month / examples
```
Added value: +[
+  1
+]
```
addedOutput schema / properties / computation_basis
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```

changedOutput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "billable_minutes",
-  "interpretation",
-  "monthly_cost_usd",
-  "next_step",
-  "next_step_url",
-  "runner_multiplier",
-  "severity",
-  "total_minutes_per_month",
-  "why_follow_up"
-]New value: +[
+  "billable_minutes",
+  "computation_basis",
+  "interpretation",
+  "monthly_cost_usd",
+  "next_step",
+  "next_step_url",
+  "runner_multiplier",
+  "severity",
+  "total_minutes_per_month",
+  "why_follow_up"
+]

Changed1 schema field changedJul 15, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "affiliate_context": {
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "affiliate": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "cta_label": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "disclosure": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "framing": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "posture": {
+          "enum": [
+            "secondary"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "slot_id": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "url": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "variant": {
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "affiliate",
+        "cta_label",
+        "disclosure",
+        "framing",
+        "posture",
+        "slot_id",
+        "url",
+        "variant"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "billable_minutes": {
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "interpretation": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "monthly_cost_usd": {
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "next_step": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "next_step_url": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "runner_multiplier": {
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "severity": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "total_minutes_per_month": {
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "why_follow_up": {
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "billable_minutes",
+    "interpretation",
+    "monthly_cost_usd",
+    "next_step",
+    "next_step_url",
+    "runner_multiplier",
+    "severity",
+    "total_minutes_per_month",
+    "why_follow_up"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedJul 13, 2026
- addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```
First observedJun 29, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive), and the description adds substantive domain behavior: GitHub list prices effective 1 Jan 2026, GitHub Free's 2,000 included minutes for private repos drawn at list price, and zero GitHub charge for self-hosted. It does not discuss output shape, but an output schema exists so that burden is lifted.

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?

Four sentences, front-loaded with the usage trigger, then inputs, then pricing assumptions and billing caveats. Every sentence carries information and nothing is repeated for filler.

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?

For a pure computational tool with a complete input schema and an output schema, the description supplies exactly the extra context an agent needs to trust the result: pricing basis, effective date, free-tier treatment, and self-hosted semantics.

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 four parameters, including the runner labels, case-insensitive matching, and the Linux default. The description mostly restates these (runner labels, case-insensitivity) and adds only the cost-relevant note that self-hosted minutes are free, so it hovers at the baseline.

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 (calculates cost) and resource (GitHub Actions CI/CD pipeline cost per month), which cleanly separates it from siblings like ec2-cost-calculator, egress-cost-calculator, and cloud-waste-calculator. An agent can identify the tool's domain without opening the schema.

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?

The opening sentence gives an explicit trigger: 'Use this when a user asks how much their GitHub Actions CI/CD pipeline costs per month.' It is a clear context for use, but it names no alternative cost tools and gives no when-not-to-use condition for overlapping sibling calculators.

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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