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Discover Tools

discover_tools
Read-onlyIdempotent

Find tools by describing the data or task. Use when you need to browse, search, look up, or discover what tools exist for: SEC filings, financials, revenue, profit, FDA drugs, adverse events, FRED economic data, Census demographics, BLS jobs/unemployment/inflation, ATTOM real estate, ClinicalTrials, USPTO patents, weather, news, crypto, stocks. Returns the top-N most relevant tools with names, descriptions, and full input schemas (with curated examples) — each result is ready to call directly, no second schema lookup needed. Call this FIRST when you have many tools available and want to see the option set (not just one answer).

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
qNoAlias for query.
taskNoAlias for query.
limitNoMaximum number of tools to return (default 20, max 50)
queryYesNatural language description of what you want to do (e.g., "analyze housing market trends", "look up FDA drug approvals", "find trade data between countries"). Accepts task, q, description, search as aliases.
searchNoAlias for query.
descriptionNoAlias for query.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. Changed5 schema fields changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / description
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Alias for query.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / q
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Alias for query.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • changedInput schema / properties / query / description
      Previous value: -"Natural language description of what you want to do (e.g., \"analyze housing market trends\", \"look up FDA drug approvals\", \"find trade data between countries\")"New value: +"Natural language description of what you want to do (e.g., \"analyze housing market trends\", \"look up FDA drug approvals\", \"find trade data between countries\"). Accepts task, q, description, search as aliases."
    • addedInput schema / properties / search
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Alias for query.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / task
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Alias for query.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
  2. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / examples
      Added value: +[
      +  {
      +    "query": "look up FDA drug approvals"
      +  },
      +  {
      +    "query": "analyze housing market trends"
      +  }
      +]
  3. Added

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already provide readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, and destructiveHint=false. The description adds meaningful behavioral context: it returns 'top-N most relevant tools with names, descriptions, and full input schemas (with curated examples)' and emphasizes 'ready to call directly, no second schema lookup needed,' which tells the agent the tool is a self-contained lookup. It doesn't overpromise or contradict annotations.

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?

The description is front-loaded with the core purpose in the first sentence, followed by usage guidance and return-value details. The long list of domain examples ('SEC filings, financials, revenue, profit...') is a bit verbose but provides concrete scope and helps the agent choose when to invoke this tool. Every clause adds context, so it is not wasteful.

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?

Despite having no output schema, the description thoroughly explains what the tool returns (top-N tools with names, descriptions, and full input schemas) and that results are directly callable. It also gives workflow guidance ('Call this FIRST') which is a complete operational context. Combined with rich annotations, this is a self-contained description for an agent.

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%—all parameters are individually described with aliases and examples. The description adds minimal parameter-specific detail beyond restating that you use 'natural language description' (already in the schema). It does not explain the difference between q, task, query, etc., but that is already handled by the schema. Thus baseline 3 is appropriate.

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?

The description opens with a specific verb and resource: 'Find tools by describing the data or task.' It clearly distinguishes itself from sibling tools by positioning itself as the discovery/meta-tool ('browse, search, look up, or discover what tools exist'), while siblings like get_weather or get_forecast are specific domain tools. The scope is well-defined with many concrete examples.

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 states when to use: 'Use when you need to browse, search, look up, or discover what tools exist' and gives a strong directive: 'Call this FIRST when you have many tools available and want to see the option set (not just one answer).' This contrasts with direct single-answer tools and implies a search-then-act workflow without needing to name alternatives.

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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