Check the read-only version control status for a workspace path to find staged, modified, and untracked files before edits.
VCS status. Read-only.
This tool declares no required parameters. Add optional parameters from the input schema as needed.
{
"id": 1,
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {
"arguments": {},
"name": "vcs_status"
}
}| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| path | No |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the full behavioral burden. "Read-only" is the one useful disclosure (non-mutating), but nothing is said about required auth, repository state assumptions, or what is returned when no repo is present.
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?
It is very short and front-loaded with no filler, which is good, but the brevity comes from under-specification rather than tight editing. Two fragments do not constitute an adequately structured definition.
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 tool with no annotations, no output schema, and an undocumented parameter, this description leaves nearly everything an agent needs unanswered. Only the read-only nature is communicated.
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 0% and the description never mentions the single `path` parameter. An agent cannot tell whether path means a repo root, a working directory, or a file to scope the status to.
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?
"VCS status" largely restates the tool name vcs_status rather than describing a distinct verb+resource outcome. It does not distinguish itself from the sibling vcs_diff, and an agent learns nothing about what status information is returned.
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 statement of when to use this tool versus alternatives such as vcs_diff or workspace_info. "Read-only" is a weak implicit hint that this is a safe inspection call, but no context, prerequisites, or exclusions are given.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.