Retrieve recent Canvas activity with actual item titles and messages, not just counts, and optionally limit results to active courses.
Full activity stream of recent Canvas events for the user.
The detailed version of activity_stream_summary — actual item titles and messages, not just counts.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| only_active_courses | No |
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| result | Yes |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v0.12.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already establish readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=true, so safety is covered. The description adds that the result contains item titles and messages rather than counts, which is genuine context beyond annotations, but says nothing about volume, pagination, or how far back events go despite an output schema existing.
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?
Very short and front-loaded, with the core statement first and the sibling comparison second. No wasted sentences, though the em-dash fragment is slightly loose in phrasing.
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 list/stream tool with one undocumented parameter, the description leaves the parameter unexplained and gives no sense of result scope or size. The presence of an output schema covers return-value structure, but the parameter gap and unquantified 'recent' keep this from being complete.
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 coverage is 0% and there is one optional parameter, only_active_courses, which the description never mentions. The description's 'recent Canvas events for the user' hints at scope but does not explain what flagging only_active_courses does or why one would set it, leaving that parameter's semantics entirely to its suggestive name.
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?
States a specific verb and resource: a full activity stream of recent Canvas events for the user. It also names the sibling activity_stream_summary and explains the difference (actual titles and messages vs. just counts), which distinguishes it from that sibling, though not from the other ~45 tools.
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?
Implies usage by positioning itself as the detailed alternative to activity_stream_summary, but gives no explicit when-to-use or when-not-to-use guidance. An agent can infer 'use this for detail, use summary for counts' but nothing more, such as how many events are returned or how recent 'recent' is.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.