Skip to main content
Glama
Mehmoodqureshi

MCP Browser Extension

by Mehmoodqureshi
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Local

get_text

Extract visible text from a Chrome page or a specific element to read web content. Target by CSS selector, element ref, tab, frame, or across all frames.

Instructions

Get visible text of the page or an element.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
refNoElement ref from a snapshot
tabIdNoTab id (default: agent's tab)
frameIdNoFrame id from frames_list
maxBytesNoCap returned content at N UTF-8 bytes (default 262144); the full payload still lands in results/
selectorNoCSS selector (or pass ref)
allFramesNoAct on the first match in ANY frame (the element may be in an iframe)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv0.9.24
    • changedInput schema / properties / tabId / description
      Previous value: -"Tab id (default: active tab)"New value: +"Tab id (default: agent's tab)"
  2. Changed6 schema fields changedv0.9.5
    • changedInput schema / properties / allFrames / description
      Previous value: -"Search every frame of the tab and act on the first that matches - use when a selector should match but does not (the element is in an iframe)"New value: +"Act on the first match in ANY frame (the element may be in an iframe)"
    • changedInput schema / properties / frameId / description
      Previous value: -"Act inside this frame (ids come from frames_list)"New value: +"Frame id from frames_list"
    • changedInput schema / properties / maxBytes / description
      Previous value: -"Cap the returned content at this many UTF-8 bytes (default 262144). A truncated result reports truncated/totalBytes/returnedBytes. The full payload is still written to the task's results/ dir."New value: +"Cap returned content at N UTF-8 bytes (default 262144); the full payload still lands in results/"
    • changedInput schema / properties / ref / description
      Previous value: -"Element ref from a prior read (exactly one of selector|ref)"New value: +"Element ref from a snapshot"
    • changedInput schema / properties / selector / description
      Previous value: -"CSS selector (exactly one of selector|ref)"New value: +"CSS selector (or pass ref)"
    • changedInput schema / properties / tabId / description
      Previous value: -"Target tab id (defaults to the active tab)"New value: +"Tab id (default: active tab)"
  3. Changed3 schema fields changedv0.7.0
    • addedInput schema / properties / allFrames
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Search every frame of the tab and act on the first that matches - use when a selector should match but does not (the element is in an iframe)",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}
    • addedInput schema / properties / frameId
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Act inside this frame (ids come from frames_list)",
+  "type": "number"
+}
    • addedInput schema / properties / maxBytes
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Cap the returned content at this many UTF-8 bytes (default 262144). A truncated result reports truncated/totalBytes/returnedBytes. The full payload is still written to the task's results/ dir.",
+  "type": "number"
+}
  4. First observedv0.6.2

TDQS

C2.9/5.0
Behavior2/5

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. 'Visible text' hints at rendered/visibility-aware extraction rather than raw markup, but nothing is said about return shape, truncation behavior, frame handling, or tab defaults beyond what the schema already states.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

A single, front-loaded sentence with zero waste. Nothing is padded or redundant.

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

Completeness2/5

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

With six optional parameters, no output schema, and no annotations, the description is thin: it omits return format, how ref/selector/allFrames interact, and how it relates to the several sibling tools that also read page content. The agent is left to open the schema and guess at routing.

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 six parameters (ref, tabId, frameId, maxBytes, selector, allFrames) are already documented in the schema. The description adds no syntax, defaults, or precedence rules beyond that, so the 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 (Get) and resource (visible text of the page or an element), which is meaningfully more precise than a generic 'read' tool. However, it does not differentiate itself from close siblings like get_html, read_as_markdown, or snapshot, leaving the agent to infer the distinction.

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 versus get_html, read_as_markdown, or snapshot, all of which return overlapping content. No mention of prerequisites (e.g., needing a ref from snapshot) or when an element-level read is preferable to a page-level read.

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

Deploy Server

Other Tools