convert_timeConverts a time from a source timezone to a target timezone.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| time | Yes | The time to convert. e.g., "2025-03-23 12:30:00". | |
| sourceTimezone | Yes | The source IANA timezone name (e.g., "Asia/Shanghai"). | |
| targetTimezone | Yes | The target IANA timezone name (e.g., "Europe/London"). |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
Input schema / $schemaRemoved value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"Input schema / additionalPropertiesRemoved value: -falseInput schema / properties / sourceTimezone / descriptionPrevious value: -"Source IANA timezone name (e.g., \"Asia/Shanghai\")"New value: +"The source IANA timezone name (e.g., \"Asia/Shanghai\")."Input schema / properties / targetTimezone / descriptionPrevious value: -"Target IANA timezone name (e.g., \"Europe/London\")"New value: +"The target IANA timezone name (e.g., \"Europe/London\")."Input schema / properties / time / descriptionPrevious value: -"The time to convert (e.g., \"2025-03-23 12:30:00\")"New value: +"The time to convert. e.g., \"2025-03-23 12:30:00\"."Input schema / requiredPrevious value: -[
- "time",
- "sourceTimezone",
- "targetTimezone"
-]New value: +[
+ "sourceTimezone",
+ "targetTimezone",
+ "time"
+]Output schema / (root)Previous value: -{
- "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
- "additionalProperties": false,
- "properties": {
- "convertedTime": {
- "type": "string"
- },
- "hourDifference": {
- "type": "number"
- }
- },
- "required": [
- "convertedTime",
- "hourDifference"
- ],
- "type": "object"
-}New value: +nullInput schema / $schemaAdded value: +"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"Input schema / additionalPropertiesAdded value: +falseInput schema / properties / sourceTimezone / descriptionPrevious value: -"The source IANA timezone name (e.g., \"Asia/Shanghai\")."New value: +"Source IANA timezone name (e.g., \"Asia/Shanghai\")"Input schema / properties / targetTimezone / descriptionPrevious value: -"The target IANA timezone name (e.g., \"Europe/London\")."New value: +"Target IANA timezone name (e.g., \"Europe/London\")"Input schema / properties / time / descriptionPrevious value: -"The time to convert. e.g., \"2025-03-23 12:30:00\"."New value: +"The time to convert (e.g., \"2025-03-23 12:30:00\")"Input schema / requiredPrevious value: -[
- "sourceTimezone",
- "targetTimezone",
- "time"
-]New value: +[
+ "time",
+ "sourceTimezone",
+ "targetTimezone"
+]Output schema / (root)Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+ "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+ "additionalProperties": false,
+ "properties": {
+ "convertedTime": {
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ "hourDifference": {
+ "type": "number"
+ }
+ },
+ "required": [
+ "convertedTime",
+ "hourDifference"
+ ],
+ "type": "object"
+}Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure, and it discloses almost nothing beyond the core action. It says nothing about DST handling, whether the conversion is purely computational, what format the result takes, or how invalid timezone names are handled.
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?
A single sentence with zero filler, front-loading both the action and the two timezone roles. Nothing is padded or repeated from the title.
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 simple three-parameter deterministic utility with full schema coverage, the description is adequate but skips the one gap the schema cannot fill: there is no output schema, so the description should say what the converted result looks like. It also omits any DST or edge-case behavior.
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 100%, so all three parameters (time, sourceTimezone, targetTimezone) are already documented with examples in the schema itself. The description adds no parameter meaning 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.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description states a specific verb (converts) and resource (a time) plus the operative dimensions (source timezone to target timezone), so the purpose is unambiguous. It does not explicitly contrast itself with siblings like current_time or relative_time, but the name and description make the distinction obvious anyway.
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?
There is no guidance on when to use this tool versus the many sibling time tools, no mention of prerequisites, and no exclusions. An agent must infer that this is the right pick whenever an explicit timezone-to-timezone conversion is needed, with nothing to confirm that inference.
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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