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search_docs

Search indexed documentation chunks by query, code symbol, or concept with hybrid ranking and optional library/version filters.

Instructions

Search documentation chunks using hybrid FTS5 ranking, symbol awareness, and optional version filtering.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
limitNoMaximum number of results to return (default: 10).
queryYesThe search query, code symbol, or concept to look for.
formatNoResponse format: "markdown" (default, human/agent-readable documentation) or "json" (structured raw machine data).
libraryNoOptional library name to narrow search scope.
versionNoTarget documentation version (e.g. "v14", "15.0").

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv0.2.3
    • addedInput schema / properties / format
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Response format: \"markdown\" (default, human/agent-readable documentation) or \"json\" (structured raw machine data).",
      +  "enum": [
      +    "markdown",
      +    "json"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
  2. First observedv0.1.4

TDQS

B3.2/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

With no annotations, the description carries the disclosure burden and does usefully reveal the hybrid FTS5 ranking, symbol-aware matching, and version-filter behavior. It omits read-only confirmation, result/pagination behavior, and error conditions, so it is only moderately transparent for a no-annotation tool.

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?

A single dense sentence with the verb and resource front-loaded and zero filler. It is slightly jargon-heavy ('hybrid FTS5 ranking') but every clause conveys real information.

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

Completeness3/5

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

No output schema and no annotations, so the description must carry more weight, yet it says nothing about the shape, pagination, or ranking of results returned. With 5 fully-documented params the basics are covered, but return-side behavior is left to inference.

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%, so all five parameters (limit, query, format, library, version) are already documented in the schema. The description adds only the vague phrase 'optional version filtering,' adding no syntax or semantics beyond the structured fields, so baseline 3 applies.

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?

States a specific verb (Search) and resource (documentation chunks) plus the ranking mechanism. However it does not differentiate itself from the many specialized sibling search tools (find_api, find_example, find_pitfall, find_recipe), leaving the agent to guess which search variant applies.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance on when to use this general search versus the specialized find_* siblings, nor any prerequisites. The agent must infer selection purely from names.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.