Creates a new iTerm2 tab using the default profile and returns its session ID, enabling Claude to start an additional terminal session for approved commands.
Create a new iTerm2 tab (default profile) and return its session ID.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v0.2.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description must carry the behavioral burden. It usefully discloses the profile used ('default profile') and the return value (session ID), but says nothing about side effects such as whether focus/tab selection changes, error behavior when no iTerm2 window exists, or whether the new session is immediately usable with execute_command.
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?
One sentence, front-loaded with the action and followed by the return value. No filler.
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 no-parameter tool with no output schema, the description covers what it does and what it yields (session ID). Minor gaps remain around failure modes and the relationship to the returned session and downstream command tools.
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?
The tool takes zero parameters, so there is nothing to disambiguate and the baseline of 4 applies. The schema is empty and consistent with the described behavior.
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 ('Create a new iTerm2 tab') plus the concrete effect ('return its session ID'). None of the siblings (list, propose, execute, read, clear) do creation, so it is clearly distinguishable.
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?
Usage is implied by the domain: an agent creates a tab before executing commands. But the description never says when to create a new tab versus reusing an existing session from list_iterm_sessions, nor any prerequisite like iTerm2 being running.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.