webfetch
webfetch
Die lizenzorientierte Bild-Ebene für KI-Agenten und Menschen.
Ein MCP-Server, ein CLI und ein HTTP-Server, die über 25 Bildanbieter föderieren, Ergebnisse nach Lizenzen priorisieren und UNKNOWN-Ergebnisse standardmäßig ablehnen. Jeder Agent, der MCP spricht (Claude Code, Cursor, Cline, Continue, Roo Code, Codex), lässt sich mit einer einzigen Konfigurationszeile anbinden. Landingpage, Preise und gehostete Nutzung finden Sie unter getwebfetch.com.
Installation
Oberfläche | Einzeiler | |
npm |
| |
Homebrew |
| |
Docker |
| |
curl | bash |
|
Das curl | bash-Installationsprogramm bindet webfetch außerdem idempotent in die ~/.claude/settings.json von Claude Code ein. Führen Sie es jederzeit erneut aus, um ein Update durchzuführen.
Related MCP server: image-lab-mcp
30-Sekunden-Nutzung
CLI:
webfetch search "drake portrait" --limit 5
webfetch artist "Taylor Swift" --kind portrait --min-width 1200
webfetch download <url> --out ./portrait.jpg
printf "drake portrait\nradiohead album\n" | webfetch batch --jsonl --continue-on-errorMCP (aus einem MCP-fähigen Agenten heraus):
search_images({ query: "drake portrait", limit: 5 })
search_artist_images({ artist: "Taylor Swift", kind: "portrait" })
download_image({ url: "..." })TypeScript-Bibliothek:
import { searchArtistImages, pickBest, downloadImage } from "webfetch-core";
const { candidates } = await searchArtistImages("Drake", "portrait");
const best = pickBest(candidates, { minWidth: 1200 });
if (best) {
const { cachedPath, sha256 } = await downloadImage(best.url);
console.log(best.attributionLine, "->", cachedPath);
}Welches Problem dies löst
Das manuelle Beschaffen eines Bildes hat vier Fehlerquellen:
Sie kennen die Lizenz nicht, daher können Sie das Ergebnis nicht sicher verwenden.
Sie können es nicht skripten – jede neue Website bedeutet einen weiteren Nachmittag Arbeit.
Die Google Image Search API wurde eingestellt; Scraping ist fehleranfällig und rechtlich in einer Grauzone.
Kein gemeinsamer Cache – Sie laden dieselbe Datei dutzende Male herunter.
webfetch behebt alle vier Probleme, indem es über APIs direkter Quellen föderiert, die stabile Bedingungen und strukturierte Lizenzmetadaten bieten, Kandidaten nach Lizenzen priorisiert und das Ergebnis als einzelnes MCP-Tool bereitstellt.
Anbieter
Anbieter | Deckt ab | Standard-Lizenz | Authentifizierung | Opt-in |
wikimedia | Porträts, Events, Logos, Geschichte | CC_BY_SA (Metadaten) | — | nein |
openverse | alle CC-lizenzierten Inhalte | CC_BY (Metadaten) | — | nein |
unsplash | hochwertige Fotografie |
|
| nein |
pexels | Stockfotografie |
|
| nein |
pixabay | Stockfotos + Illustrationen |
|
| nein |
itunes | Albumcover, Künstlerporträts | EDITORIAL_LICENSED | — | nein |
musicbrainz-caa | kanonische Albumcover | EDITORIAL_LICENSED | — | nein |
spotify | Künstler- + Album-Bilder | EDITORIAL_LICENSED |
| nein |
youtube-thumb | Video-Thumbnails | EDITORIAL_LICENSED | — | ja |
brave | allgemeine Websuche | UNKNOWN (+Heuristik) |
| nein |
bing | allgemeine Websuche | UNKNOWN (+Heuristik) |
| ja |
serpapi | Google Bilder + Rückwärtssuche | UNKNOWN (+Heuristik) |
| ja |
browser | Headless-Fallback vs images.google.com | UNKNOWN | — | ja |
managed-browser | Bright Data Managed Browser Fallback | UNKNOWN |
| ja |
flickr | CC / Public-Domain-Fotografie | CC_BY (Metadaten) |
| nein |
internet-archive | Public-Domain / CC Archivmedien | PUBLIC_DOMAIN | — | nein |
smithsonian | Open Access Museum-Medien | CC0 |
| nein |
nasa | NASA-Bildmaterial | PUBLIC_DOMAIN | — | nein |
met-museum | The Met Open Access | CC0 | — | nein |
europeana | Europäisches Kulturerbe | CC_BY (Metadaten) |
| nein |
library-of-congress | US-historisches Archiv | PUBLIC_DOMAIN | — | nein |
wellcome-collection | medizinische/historische Bilder | CC_BY (Metadaten) | — | nein |
rawpixel | CC0 Stock-Auswahl | CC0 |
| nein |
burst | Shopify Burst Stockfotos | CC0 | — | nein |
europeana-archival | Europeana Text-/Manuskript-Datensätze | CC_BY (Metadaten) |
| ja |
Siehe docs/PROVIDERS.md für Fallstricke, Ratenbegrenzungen und docs/PROVIDER_TUNING.md für Empfehlungen je nach Anwendungsfall.
Lokale und Cloud-Modi
Das CLI ist lokal orientiert: Standardmäßig rufen webfetch search, artist, album, download, probe, license und batch webfetch-core im Prozess auf und verwenden Anbieter-API-Schlüssel aus Ihrer Umgebung. Übergeben Sie --cloud oder setzen Sie WEBFETCH_MODE=cloud, um https://api.getwebfetch.com/v1/* mit WEBFETCH_API_KEY oder webfetch config set apiKey wf_live_... aufzurufen.
Verwenden Sie den lokalen Modus, wenn Sie direkte Anbieteraufrufe und einen lokalen Cache wünschen. Verwenden Sie den Cloud-Modus, wenn Sie gehostete Authentifizierung, gepoolte Anbieterschlüssel, Managed-Browser-Fallback, Nutzungsabrechnung oder Team-Kontrollen benötigen.
Warum lizenzorientiert?
Das einzige Ergebnis, das wir standardmäßig ablehnen, ist ein Bild, das wir nicht rechtfertigen können. Ein geringfügig besseres Foto unter einer unbekannten Lizenz ist wertlos für eine Pipeline, die ohne menschliche Überprüfung auskommen muss. Relevanz-Gleichstände sind leicht aufzulösen; Herkunftsnachweise nicht.
Die Sortierung erfolgt nach: Lizenz-Tag -> Metadaten-Konfidenz -> Auflösung -> Anbieter-Priorität. UNKNOWN wird standardmäßig abgelehnt (Berner Übereinkunft: Das meiste im Web ist urheberrechtlich geschützt, sofern nicht anders bewiesen). Siehe docs/LICENSE_POLICY.md.
Migration: CC0-Stock-Anbieter
Ältere webfetch-Builds behandelten Unsplash, Pexels und Pixabay als CC0. Aktuelle Builds legen deren Plattformbedingungen explizit offen:
Alter Tag | Neuer Tag | Was zu prüfen ist |
|
| Unsplash-Bedingungen; keine Creative Commons |
|
| Pexels-Bedingungen; keine Creative Commons |
|
| Pixabay-Bedingungen; keine Creative Commons |
Die meisten Aufrufer sollten licensePolicy: "safe-only" beibehalten, da dies weiterhin offene, Plattform-, redaktionelle und Presse-Kategorien erlaubt, während UNKNOWN abgelehnt wird. Pipelines, die nur Creative Commons oder Public-Domain-Assets benötigen, sollten licensePolicy: "open-only" verwenden und Typ-Wächter aktualisieren, um die drei Plattform-Tags separat zu behandeln.
webfetch vs. Alternativen
Fähigkeit | webfetch | Raw Google Images | Nur Unsplash | Bing CSE |
Skriptbar via API | ja | nein (eingestellt) | ja | ja |
Lizenz-Metadaten pro Ergebnis | ja | nein | ja (eine Lizenz) | teilweise |
Deckt redaktionelle Musik-Art ab | ja | teilweise | nein | teilweise |
Deckt CC / Public-Domain ab | ja | nein | nein | nein |
Sicher-standardmäßig (lehnt UNKNOWN ab) | ja | n/a | n/a | nein |
Gemeinsamer inhaltsadressierter Cache | ja | nein | nein | nein |
Attributionszeile vorgefertigt | ja | nein | nein | nein |
Eine MCP-Konfigurationszeile für alle IDEs | ja | nein | nein | nein |
Keine Kosten pro Abfrage bei Standards | ja | n/a | ja | nein |
Architektur
+------------------+
| webfetch-core |
| (ranker, cache, |
| license coerce)|
+---------+--------+
|
+----------------+-----------+-----------+----------------+
| | | |
+-------v------+ +------v-------+ +-------v------+ +------v-------+
| webfetch | | webfetch-mcp | | webfetch- | | browser |
| CLI | | (stdio) | | server (HTTP)| | extensions |
+-------+------+ +------+-------+ +-------+------+ +------+-------+
| | | |
| | | |
+----------------+-----------+-----------+----------------+
|
+---------------------v---------------------+
| provider adapters |
| wikimedia openverse unsplash pexels |
| pixabay itunes mb-caa spotify |
| youtube brave bing serpapi |
| flickr nasa met europeana |
| loc wellcome rawpixel burst |
| browser + managed-browser + archival opt-in|
+-------------------------------------------+Jede Oberfläche teilt sich ~/.webfetch/cache/, indiziert durch SHA-256, sodass ein Download aus dem CLI sofort für den MCP-Server verfügbar ist und umgekehrt.
Sicherheitsstandards
licensePolicy: "safe-only"— offene, Plattform-Lizenz- und redaktionelle/Presse-Kategorien sind erlaubt;UNKNOWNwird abgelehnt.safeSearch: "strict".Opt-in-Anbieter (
youtube-thumb,bing,serpapi,browser,managed-browser,europeana-archival) standardmäßig deaktiviert.20 MB Limit pro Download, Content-Type-Wächter, Host-Blockliste.
robots.txtwird bei allgemeinen Seiten-Probes respektiert.
Roadmap
webfetch watch— Daemon-Modus für wiederholte Abfragen / inkrementelle Aktualisierung.Bring-your-own-provider Plugin-API.
Gehostete Ebene unter getwebfetch.com — gepoolte Anbieterschlüssel, Managed-Browser-Fallback, Team-Nutzungs-Dashboard.
Mitwirken
Issues und PRs sind willkommen. Führen Sie bun install && bun test aus, um zu beginnen. Siehe docs/ für bereichsspezifische Referenzdokumentationen.
Lizenz
MIT.
Available Tools
7 toolsdownload_imageA
Download an image URL (typically from a prior search_images result) to the local disk cache. Streams with a 20MB hard cap, content-type guard, SHA-256 hash, and returns the cached file path. Host blocklist enforced.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | Yes | ||
| maxBytes | No | ||
| cacheDir | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
The description fully discloses key behaviors: streaming with a 20MB cap, content-type guard, SHA-256 hashing, and a host blocklist. Since no annotations are provided, this information is critical for safe and correct usage.
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?
Three concise sentences with no redundancy. The first sentence states the purpose, the second lists technical details, and the third adds a restriction. Information is front-loaded and every sentence adds value.
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?
The description covers the tool's purpose, key behaviors, and return value (cached file path). It is mostly complete for a download tool, but lacks details on optional parameters and how they affect behavior.
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 description mentions a '20MB hard cap' which correlates to the maxBytes parameter but does not explain it or the cacheDir parameter. With 0% schema description coverage, the tool relies heavily on the description to clarify semantics, missing the opportunity to describe optional parameters.
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?
The description uses a specific verb 'Download' and resource 'image URL', clearly stating the action and result (cached file path). It distinguishes itself from sibling tools like 'search_images' or 'fetch_with_license' by emphasizing local disk caching and typical usage from search results.
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?
The description mentions 'typically from a prior search_images result', providing a clear context for when to use this tool. However, it does not explicitly state when not to use it or mention alternative tools for different scenarios.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
fetch_with_licenseA
Given an arbitrary URL (image or webpage), determine its license via host heuristics + page metadata (, dc.rights, og tags). Set probe: true to also download the bytes. Use when an agent already has a URL and needs a go/no-go decision before shipping.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | Yes | ||
| probe | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Given no annotations, the description carries full burden; it discloses heuristics, page metadata scanning, and the probe parameter triggering download. Sufficiently transparent for a simple tool.
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?
Two sentences, no unnecessary words. First sentence describes function, second provides usage guidance. Efficient.
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?
No output schema, but description implies return of license info. For a 2-param tool, it covers behavior and usage. Could mention return format or error handling.
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?
Schema has 0% description coverage, but the description explains the url parameter as target and probe parameter as triggering download, adding value beyond the schema.
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?
The description clearly states the verb 'determine its license' and the resource 'URL', and distinguishes from siblings like download_image and search_images through its specific function.
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?
Provides explicit usage context: 'Use when an agent already has a URL and needs a go/no-go decision before shipping.' Lacks explicit alternatives or when-not-to-use, but the context is clear.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
find_similarA
Reverse-image-search: given a public image URL, find visually similar images. Requires SERPAPI_KEY env var and providers: ['serpapi']. Returns candidates with heuristic licenses — treat results as leads, not shippable.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | Yes | Public URL of the reference image | |
| providers | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations provided, so description carries the burden. It adds 'Returns candidates with heuristic licenses — treat results as leads, not shippable,' disclosing the heuristic nature and appropriate usage, which is valuable behavioral context beyond basic purpose.
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?
Three sentences with no redundancies: purpose, prerequisite, output disclaimer. Each sentence serves a distinct, essential function.
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?
Given no output schema and no annotations, the description covers purpose, a key prerequisite, and output quality. It does not address error cases or rate limits, but the tool is low-complexity with 2 params.
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?
Schema coverage is 50% (url has description, providers does not). Description adds 'Requires ... providers: ["serpapi"]', indicating the required provider and hinting at the role of the providers parameter. However, it does not explain individual enum options, which the schema already lists.
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?
Description clearly states 'Reverse-image-search: given a public image URL, find visually similar images.' This is a specific verb+resource combo, and it distinguishes from sibling tools like download_image or search_images.
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?
Description mentions requirement 'Requires SERPAPI_KEY env var and providers: ["serpapi"]', giving clear context for when to use. It does not explicitly exclude alternatives, but the prerequisite is helpful.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
probe_pageA
Given a webpage URL, return every on the page with inferred dimensions and a heuristic license per image. Respects robots.txt by default. Use to triage a candidate source page before picking.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | Yes | ||
| respectRobots | No |
TDQS
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 discloses that the tool respects robots.txt and returns images with dimensions and license. This is transparent about its behavior, though it could mention error handling or performance.
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?
The description is extremely concise—two sentences that pack all necessary information. No redundant words. It front-loads the core action and then provides usage context.
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 tool with no output schema and moderate complexity, the description covers what the tool returns (images with dimensions and license) and its default behavior (respects robots.txt). The context is sufficient for an agent to understand when to invoke it among siblings.
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?
Input schema has 2 params (url, respectRobots) with 0% description coverage. The description clarifies the purpose of the tool and implies usage of both params (url as input, respectRobots via default respect). It adds meaning beyond the raw schema, especially for the boolean parameter.
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?
The description clearly states the action (return every <img> on a webpage), the resource (given a URL), and the output (images with dimensions and license). It distinguishes itself from siblings like download_image or fetch_with_license by focusing on triaging a source page.
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?
Explicitly states 'Use to triage a candidate source page before picking', indicating the intended use case. It also mentions respecting robots.txt by default, providing a constraint. However, it does not explicitly state when not to use or mention alternatives.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
search_album_coverA
Find canonical album artwork. Uses MusicBrainz Cover Art Archive + iTunes + Spotify. Results are EDITORIAL_LICENSED — safe for album identification UI per platform ToS; always show attribution.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| artist | Yes | ||
| album | Yes | ||
| providers | No | ||
| safeSearch | No | ||
| licensePolicy | No | ||
| maxPerProvider | No | ||
| minWidth | No | ||
| minHeight | No | ||
| timeoutMs | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Discloses that results are editorial-licensed and safe per ToS, which is key behavioral info. No annotations provided, so description covers safety. Could add more on failure modes or rate limits.
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?
Two sentences, efficient and front-loaded. However, lacks structure or parameter hints. No wasted words, but could be slightly more informative.
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?
With 9 parameters and no output schema, description is incomplete. It doesn't explain return format or behavior for missing results. Adequate for a simple search but not comprehensive.
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?
Schema description coverage is 0%; description does not mention any parameters despite there being 9, including required ones. Schema is detailed, but description fails to add meaning beyond it.
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?
Description uses specific verb 'Find' and resource 'canonical album artwork', clearly distinguishing from sibling tools like search_images and search_artist_images. Mentions specific data sources (MusicBrainz, iTunes, Spotify) and licensing.
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?
States use case 'album identification UI' and attribution requirement. Implicitly differentiates from siblings but lacks explicit when-to-use vs alternatives. Clear context provided.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
search_artist_imagesA
Specialized image search for a musical artist. kind selects provider set + query expansion: 'portrait' (Wikimedia + Unsplash + Spotify), 'album' (MusicBrainz CAA + iTunes + Spotify), 'logo' (Wikimedia), 'performing' (Wikimedia + Pexels). Prefer this over search_images when building artist/band content.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| artist | Yes | ||
| kind | No | portrait | |
| providers | No | ||
| safeSearch | No | ||
| licensePolicy | No | ||
| maxPerProvider | No | ||
| minWidth | No | ||
| minHeight | No | ||
| timeoutMs | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries full burden. It explains the behavioral differences based on the 'kind' parameter (provider sets and query expansion). However, it does not disclose any other behavioral traits such as read-only nature, pagination, or rate limits.
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?
The description is concise with a few sentences, front-loaded with the purpose. It could be more structured, but it is not overly long and gets to the point.
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?
Given the lack of output schema and missing parameter descriptions, the description should be more comprehensive. It only covers the 'kind' parameter and one usage scenario, leaving many parameters and the return format unexplained.
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?
Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate. It only explains the 'kind' parameter in detail; the other 8 parameters (like safeSearch, licensePolicy, maxPerProvider, etc.) are not described at all. This adds minimal value beyond the schema.
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?
The description clearly states it is a specialized image search for a musical artist, and explicitly distinguishes this tool from sibling search_images by saying 'Prefer this over search_images when building artist/band content.' It also explains the purpose of the 'kind' parameter with specific provider sets.
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?
The description gives explicit guidance on when to use this tool over search_images for artist/band content. However, it does not mention when not to use it or provide alternatives for other contexts, and lacks details about other sibling tools like search_album_cover.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
search_imagesA
Federated image search across license-aware providers (Wikimedia Commons, Openverse, Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay, iTunes, MusicBrainz CAA, Spotify, Brave). Returns concise ranked candidates with license + attribution. Does NOT auto-download — call download_image after. Default safe-only policy includes open, platform-license, editorial/press tags and rejects UNKNOWN. Use open-only for CC/public-domain only. For large batches, prefer CLI: webfetch batch --jsonl --continue-on-error.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| query | Yes | What to search for (e.g., 'Drake musician portrait') | |
| providers | No | ||
| safeSearch | No | ||
| licensePolicy | No | ||
| maxPerProvider | No | ||
| minWidth | No | ||
| minHeight | No | ||
| timeoutMs | No |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Discloses search behavior (federated, license-aware), return format (candidates with license+attribution), and safe policy details. No annotations provided, so description carries burden; could mention failure modes or limits, but overall good disclosure.
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?
Description is fairly concise and front-loaded with key information (search purpose, no auto-download, policy). A few clauses (e.g., 'Default safe-only policy includes...') could be tightened, but overall efficient.
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?
Given 8 parameters, no output schema, and complex providers, description covers search scope, license awareness, policy, and pointer to download_image. Missing output format details but adequate for use.
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?
Description mentions query and providers implicitly but does not explain parameters beyond schema. Schema coverage is low (13%), yet description adds minimal parameter guidance (e.g., no details on timeoutMs, minWidth, etc.).
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?
The description clearly states it performs 'Federated image search across license-aware providers' and returns 'concise ranked candidates with license + attribution.' It distinguishes from sibling tools like download_image which handles downloading.
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?
Explicitly states when not to use ('Does NOT auto-download — call download_image after'), describes default policy and when to use open-only, and suggests using CLI for large batches.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Tool Schema Changelog
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
7 tool updates
- First observed
download_image - First observed
fetch_with_license - First observed
find_similar - First observed
probe_page - First observed
search_album_cover - First observed
search_artist_images - First observed
search_images
TDQS
Scored across 7 tools
Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose: downloading, license checking, reverse image search, page probing, and three specialized search tools (general, album art, artist). No ambiguity between them.
All tool names follow a consistent verb_noun pattern with underscores (e.g., download_image, search_images). No mixing of conventions.
Seven tools cover the domain of image fetching and license checking without being excessive. Each tool earns its place, and the count is appropriate for the server's purpose.
The set covers core workflows (search, download, license check, find similar, probe page). Minor gaps exist like a generic URL fetcher for non-image content, but the server's focus on images makes this acceptable.
Maintenance
Related MCP Connectors
Openverse MCP — Creative-Commons-licensed image + audio search.
Search over 1.85 million captioned images using text, a reference image, or both. Upload a JPEG, PNG, or WebP image as base64, or provide a public HTTPS image URL. Find similar images from a Lightdrift asset ID and retrieve hosted file URLs, source licenses, and attribution. Connect with OAuth or an API key. Searches cost $0.005 ($5 per 1,000); image details are free. Setup: https://docs.lightdrift.ai/guides/images-mcp
Knowledge commons for AI agents: cited, licensed, queryable claims over MCP.
Free web search for AI agents. No API key required. Hosted MCP in active development.
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