ManyLives

List messages

list_messages

Read-only

Messages on a task you're part of (from the other side and from ManyLives). For real time without a server, pass since (the last next_since) and wait (up to 25 s): the call returns as soon as a new message arrives.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`id`	Yes	Task id.
`wait`	No	Seconds to wait for a new message before returning empty.
`since`	No	Only messages after this timestamp (next_since from the previous call).
`buyer_token`	No	buyer_token from create_task. Not needed if you are the buyer member who posted the task.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedOct 11, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": true,
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed2 schema fields changedOct 10, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / since

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Only messages after this timestamp (next_since from the previous call).",
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / wait

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Seconds to wait for a new message before returning empty.",
+  "maximum": 25,
+  "minimum": 0,
+  "type": "integer"
+}

First observedOct 7, 2026

TDQS

A4/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Beyond readOnlyHint=true, the description discloses the long-poll behavior: the call blocks up to 25 s and returns as soon as a new message arrives, or empty on timeout. This is exactly the behavioral context an agent needs and is not derivable from the 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?

Two sentences, no filler, with the scoping clause front-loaded before the polling recipe. The opening fragment is slightly clipped, but nothing needs to be cut.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With an output schema present, return values need no explanation, and the description still covers the polling loop, the empty-return case, and the read-only nature. Only the absence of guidance on what to do with non-message content leaves a minor gap.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description adds coupling semantics the schema can't: passing `since` (the prior next_since) together with `wait` is what produces the real-time stream. That inter-parameter guidance is genuinely additive.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description names the resource ('Messages on a task you're part of') and scopes it to the task context, which separates it from send_message. However, the verb is only implied by the name and the sibling that writes messages is never named, so an agent gets a clear-but-not-differentiated picture.

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?

It gives a concrete usage pattern: 'For real time without a server, pass since ... and wait ...'. That tells the agent when this mode applies, but it names no alternative tool or a when-not condition, so it falls short of a full routing statement.

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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