basic-memory

Validate Schema

schema_validate

Read-only

Validate notes against Picoschema definitions to detect schema mismatches. Check one note, all notes of a type, or every schema-backed note type.

Instructions

Validate notes against their Picoschema definitions. With neither note_type nor identifier it validates every note type that has a schema. A schema is a note with type: schema whose entity field names the note type it describes.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`project`	No	Project name. Optional -- server will resolve.
`note_type`	No	Note type to batch-validate (e.g., "person", "meeting"). If provided, validates all notes of this type.
`identifier`	No	Specific note to validate (permalink, title, or path). If provided, validates only this note.
`project_id`	No	Project external_id (UUID). Prefer this over `project` when known — it routes to the exact project regardless of name collisions across cloud workspaces. Takes precedence over `project`. Get from list_memory_projects().
`output_format`	No		text

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Addedv0.24.1Oct 23, 2026

TDQS

A3.9/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint=false, so safety is covered. The description adds genuinely new behavioral context: the default all-types sweep when no filters are given, plus a definition of what a schema object is, which the annotations cannot convey.

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?

Three sentences, front-loaded with the action, second sentence giving the default scope, third defining the jargon. Nothing is padded and the ordering matches how an agent reads.

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?

An output schema exists so return values need no explanation, and read-only annotations cover the safety profile. The one remaining ambiguity is precedence when note_type and identifier are both provided, which the schema leaves implicit and the description does not resolve.

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?

At 80% schema coverage the baseline is 3, but the description adds the interaction rule the schema does not state: note_type and identifier together determine scope, and omitting both widens the sweep to all schema-bearing types. It stops short of saying what happens when both are supplied simultaneously.

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 and resource ('Validate notes against their Picoschema definitions') and even defines the domain term 'schema'. It does not distinguish itself from the nearby schema_infer and schema_diff siblings, leaving the agent to infer which schema tool applies.

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?

The description covers scoping behavior (omitting both filters validates every type that has a schema), which implies how to use it, but never states when to pick this over schema_infer or schema_diff, nor any prerequisites such as a schema existing for the type.

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