Search software options
search_softwareFind commercial and open-source software options from the Software Sausage editorial catalog. Results are not paid rankings.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| query | Yes |
search_softwareFind commercial and open-source software options from the Software Sausage editorial catalog. Results are not paid rankings.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| query | Yes |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
The readOnlyHint and openWorldHint annotations already communicate safety and scope. The description adds useful context by stating the source is an editorial catalog and that results are not paid rankings, but it does not cover potential limitations, rate limits, result breadth, or further behavioral details.
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 concise, front-loaded sentences state the core purpose in the first sentence and a key trust/authority caveat in the second. There is no extraneous text, and the message is easily scanned by an agent.
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 single-parameter, read-only search tool, the description is adequate, but with no output schema it does not clarify the result format or whether results are a list, a set of matching options, or structured metadata. The caveat about editorial rankings helps, but an agent is still left to infer some return 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?
With 0% schema description coverage, the description carries the burden of explaining the 'query' parameter, but it only broadly implies that the query should describe the software being sought. It does not specify match behavior, search scope, ordering, or example inputs, leaving the parameter semantics under-specified.
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 uses a specific verb 'Find' and defines the resource as 'commercial and open-source software options' from the 'Software Sausage editorial catalog'. This is clearly distinct from the sibling tool find_agent_recipes, and the provenance ('editorial catalog') narrows the intent.
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?
The description implies the tool is for discovering software options in an edited catalog, but it does not state when to prefer it over find_agent_recipes or provide any explicit exclusions. 'Results are not paid rankings' adds context, but there is no when-to/not-to guidance.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.