Claude Orchestrator MCP

Session Heartbeat

heartbeat

Send session activity signals to keep an MCP session alive and optionally record its current task.

Instructions

Send a heartbeat to keep the session active and optionally update current task.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "sessionId": "<sessionId>"
    },
    "name": "heartbeat"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`sessionId`	Yes	Session ID
`currentTask`	No	What the session is currently working on

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`acknowledged`	Yes
`pendingUpdates`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Sep 13, 2026

TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Behavior3/5

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden. It does disclose the core behavioral effect — that this keeps the session alive — but says nothing about expiry timeouts, expected frequency, whether a missed heartbeat terminates the session, or any auth/permission needs. For a liveness tool those omissions matter.

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 no filler; the primary effect (keep session active) precedes the optional secondary effect (update task).

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?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be described. However, with zero annotations on a tool whose whole purpose is stateful liveness, the description should say more about timeout/cadence semantics and the consequence of not calling it.

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 sessionId and currentTask are already documented in the schema; baseline is 3. The phrase 'optionally update current task' correctly signals that currentTask is optional and mutates session state, which is mildly useful but adds little beyond the schema.

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+resource ('send a heartbeat') and its effect ('keep the session active'), plus the optional task update. It is clearly distinguishable from lifecycle siblings like register_session/unregister_session, though it does not name those siblings explicitly.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

'keep the session active' implies the usage context (periodic calls during a live session), but there is no explicit when-to-call, no expected cadence, and no mention of what to use instead or in addition (e.g., request_sync_point). Usage is inferable rather than stated.

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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