duckseek

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duckseek_ask

Ask natural-language questions about your registered tables. Returns a concise answer with the executed SQL for verification, handling ambiguous questions by asking for clarification.

Instructions

Answer a natural-language question over the registered tables.

Runs retrieve → SQL generation → read-only guard → sandboxed execution. Returns answer (compact markdown of the result), sql (the executed statement, for verification), row_count, elapsed_ms, source_tables and embedding_degraded (true when this call's retrieval fell back to BM25-only — tell the user and suggest providing EMB_* for best recall); interpret the answer yourself. Ambiguous questions return needs_clarification with a follow-up question to ask the user. Read-only; the SQL is verified to be a single SELECT before it runs.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`question`	Yes

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Sep 24, 2026

TDQS

A4.6/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

With no annotations present, the description fully discloses the read-only guard, sandboxed execution, single-SELECT verification, and the embedding_degraded return flag with instructions to inform the user. It also explains the needs_clarification response for ambiguous questions, leaving little behavioral ambiguity.

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?

The description is front-loaded with purpose, then pipeline, outputs, and edge cases. It is dense but each sentence adds essential information; a slight trim would push it to a 5.

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

Completeness5/5

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

The description covers purpose, behavioral safety, return fields, edge cases, and remedial instructions despite having output schema and no annotations. It is complete enough for an agent to call and interpret results correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The schema only defines 'question' as a required string with 0% description coverage. The description supplies meaning by specifying it is a natural-language question over the registered tables and by describing how ambiguous inputs are handled.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description opens with 'Answer a natural-language question over the registered tables,' which names a specific action and resource. This clearly distinguishes it from sibling tools 'duckseek_status' and 'duckseek_list_tables.'

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

The description plainly frames when to use the tool—when there is a natural-language question about the registered tables—and details its processing pipeline. It does not explicitly name alternatives or exclusion conditions, but the context is evident from the tool name and siblings.

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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