Casefile

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Answer question

answer

Resolve a task question by responding on its merits, or close it as withdrawn or replaced when it is stale or superseded. Requires the task key and question number.

Instructions

Answers a question of the same task, or closes it unanswered as withdrawn or replaced. Any holder of a task token answers, in any task.

The first answer closes the question and later ones add to it; neither a question nor an answer changes the task status. A withdrawn or replaced question leaves questions of get_task and the open-question counts, and stays in the case with this entry; a question that already has an answer is not withdrawn. The tracker builds the title from the question reference and the outcome.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`key`	Yes	Task key `PROJECT-N`, case-insensitive; a previous key of a moved task addresses it as well. An unknown key is refused with `task_not_found`
`body`	No	Entry body in markdown, stored and returned as is. It holds what a successor needs to continue; file contents and long outputs stay outside it, represented by a pointer and the gist
`outcome`	No	How the question is closed, and what the body holds: - `answered` — an answer on its merits; the body is the answer; - `withdrawn` — the question is stale and needs no answer; the body gives the reason; - `replaced` — a later question of the same task, named in `replaced_by`, asks instead; the body gives the reason. `withdrawn` and `replaced` require a non-empty body and are accepted only while the question has no answer: otherwise `entry_fields_invalid`, `reason: already_answered`	answered
`question_no`	Yes	Number of the `question` entry in the same task. Any other number is refused with `entry_fields_invalid`, `reason: unknown_entry` or `not_a_question`
`replaced_by`	No	Number of the `question` entry that replaces this one: in the same task and filed after it. Required with `replaced` and refused with any other outcome, both as `entry_fields_invalid`
`idempotency_key`	No	Retry key chosen by the caller, e.g. a UUID. A repeat with the same key and the same arguments returns the first result and creates nothing; the same key with other arguments is refused with `idempotency_key_reused`. A key is bound to the caller's token and kept for 24 hours

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`no`	Yes	Entry number in the task's case; with the key it forms `TRK-42#12`
`seq`	Yes	Journal sequence number, usable as `after` of `wait_journal`
`title`	Yes	The title the tracker built, for entry types whose title is not sent (summary, answer, verdict, resolution, service entries); `null` when the caller sent the title
`author`	Yes
`task_key`	Yes
`created_at`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedv0.10.1Oct 6, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / outcome

Added value: +{
+  "default": "answered",
+  "description": "How the question is closed, and what the body holds:\n- `answered` — an answer on its merits; the body is the answer;\n- `withdrawn` — the question is stale and needs no answer; the body gives the reason;\n- `replaced` — a later question of the same task, named in `replaced_by`, asks instead; the body gives the reason.\n`withdrawn` and `replaced` require a non-empty body and are accepted only while the question has no answer: otherwise `entry_fields_invalid`, `reason: already_answered`",
+  "enum": [
+    "answered",
+    "withdrawn",
+    "replaced"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / replaced_by

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "description": "Number of the `question` entry that replaces this one: in the same task and filed after it. Required with `replaced` and refused with any other outcome, both as `entry_fields_invalid`",
+  "title": "Replaced By"
+}

Changed15 schema fields changedv0.5.2Sep 25, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / body / description

Previous value: -"Тело записи в markdown; хранится и отдаётся как есть"New value: +"Entry body in markdown, stored and returned as is. It holds what a successor needs to continue; file contents and long outputs stay outside it, represented by a pointer and the gist"

changedInput schema / properties / idempotency_key / description

Previous value: -"Ключ повтора, который ты придумываешь сам (обычно UUID). Повтор вызова с тем же ключом и теми же аргументами отвечает первым результатом и второго объекта не заводит; тот же ключ с другими аргументами отклоняется. Ключ живёт в паре с твоим токеном и помнится 24 часа"New value: +"Retry key chosen by the caller, e.g. a UUID. A repeat with the same key and the same arguments returns the first result and creates nothing; the same key with other arguments is refused with `idempotency_key_reused`. A key is bound to the caller's token and kept for 24 hours"

changedInput schema / properties / key / description

Previous value: -"Ключ задачи, например `TRK-42`. Регистр не важен"New value: +"Task key `PROJECT-N`, case-insensitive; a previous key of a moved task addresses it as well. An unknown key is refused with `task_not_found`"

changedInput schema / properties / question_no / description

Previous value: -"Номер записи `question` в этой же задаче"New value: +"Number of the `question` entry in the same task. Any other number is refused with `entry_fields_invalid`, `reason: unknown_entry` or `not_a_question`"

removedInput schema / properties / question_no / examples
```
Removed value: -[
-  7
-]
```

removedOutput schema / $defs / AuthorKind

Removed value: -{
-  "description": "Кто именно сделал действие.\n\n`tracker` — сам трекер: этим родом подписаны служебные записи дела и строки,\nзаведённые командой первичной инициализации. У него нет подписи, потому что\nназывать себя по имени ему незачем: трекер в установке один.",
-  "enum": [
-    "agent",
-    "human",
-    "tracker"
-  ],
-  "title": "AuthorKind",
-  "type": "string"
-}

changedOutput schema / $defs / AuthorView / description

Previous value: -"Кто сделал действие: род и подпись. У самого трекера подписи нет."New value: +"Who acted: kind and signature. The tracker itself has no signature."

removedOutput schema / $defs / AuthorView / properties / kind / $ref
```
Removed value: -"#/$defs/AuthorKind"
```

addedOutput schema / $defs / AuthorView / properties / kind / description

Added value: +"Kind of author. `tracker` signs the service entries the tracker files itself"

addedOutput schema / $defs / AuthorView / properties / kind / enum
```
Added value: +[
+  "agent",
+  "human",
+  "tracker"
+]
```
addedOutput schema / $defs / AuthorView / properties / kind / type
```
Added value: +"string"
```

changedOutput schema / description

Previous value: -"Ответ подшивающего инструмента: чем запись адресуют, без самой записи.\n\n`title` непуст только там, где заголовок собрал трекер: у сводки, ответа, вердикта и\nрезолюции его не принимают вовсе (`app/domain/case.py`, `TITLED_ENTRY_TYPES`). Где\nзаголовок прислал агент, здесь стоит `null` — «в описи ровно то, что ты прислал»."New value: +"A filed entry, by its address rather than its content; the entry in full is\nreturned by `read_entries`."

addedOutput schema / properties / no / description

Added value: +"Entry number in the task's case; with the key it forms `TRK-42#12`"

addedOutput schema / properties / seq / description

Added value: +"Journal sequence number, usable as `after` of `wait_journal`"

addedOutput schema / properties / title / description

Added value: +"The title the tracker built, for entry types whose title is not sent (summary, answer, verdict, resolution, service entries); `null` when the caller sent the title"

First observedSep 23, 2026

TDQS

A4.1/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Despite annotations covering safety (readOnly=false, destructive=false), the description adds substantial non-obvious behavior: the first answer closes the question while later ones append, neither a question nor an answer changes task status, and withdrawn/replaced drop out of `questions` in `get_task` and the open-question counts but stay in the case. It also discloses the title-construction rule. That is real context the annotations do not provide.

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?

Three short paragraphs, front-loaded with the core purpose and outcome list before the state-effect details. Dense but every sentence carries information; only the feathered wording around 'stays in the case with this entry' costs a little clarity.

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

Completeness4/5

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

With an output schema present and 100% schema coverage, the description does not need to restate returns; it correctly focuses on actor permissions and state transitions for a 6-parameter mutation tool. It is essentially complete, with only the sibling-routing guidance missing.

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 the schema already documents every parameter, including outcome semantics, idempotency binding, and the refusal reasons. The description adds only marginal meaning beyond the schema (the tracker building the title from reference and outcome), so the baseline 3 applies.

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 first sentence gives a specific verb (answers/closes) and resource (a question of the same task) plus the alternate outcomes, so an agent can immediately tell it apart from the paired `ask` and from generic entry-adders like `add_entry` or `add_verdict`. The counterpart semantics (this is the answering side of `ask`) are unambiguous.

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?

It states who may call it ('any holder of a `task` token answers, in any task') and when the withdrawn/replaced outcomes are legal, which is useful context. But it never positions the tool against near neighbors (add_entry, resolve, add_verdict) or says when to answer versus add a plain entry, so usage is only implied.

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