whodb-cli

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whodb_platform_source_update

Destructive

Prepare changes to a hosted WhoDB source by supplying new connection or display settings; nothing is applied until the returned confirmation token is approved.

Instructions

Prepare update of a hosted WhoDB source.

This changes nothing until the returned confirmation token is approved with whodb_platform_confirm. Omitted config fields preserve the existing hosted values. Do not call whodb_platform_confirm until the user approves the confirmation preview. Accepts workspace {host, org, project} for per-call targeting without changing defaults.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`name`	No	New source display name
`port`	No
`source`	Yes	Hosted source id or name
`advanced`	No
`database`	No
`hostname`	No
`password`	No
`username`	No
`workspace`	No	Optional target for this call only. Omit to use the session default set by whodb_platform_session_use, then process/saved defaults. Discover targets with whodb_platform_hosts, whodb_platform_orgs and whodb_platform_projects.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`error`	No
`scope`	No
`source`	No
`status`	No
`warning`	No
`commands`	No
`recovery`	No
`retryable`	No
`workspace`	No	Optional target for this call only. Omit to use the session default set by whodb_platform_session_use, then process/saved defaults. Discover targets with whodb_platform_hosts, whodb_platform_orgs and whodb_platform_projects.
`error_code`	No
`next_steps`	No
`request_id`	No
`setup_status`	No
`suggested_tools`	No
`confirmation_token`	No
`confirmation_action`	No
`confirmation_expiry`	No
`confirmation_preview`	No
`confirmation_required`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed4 schema fields changedv0.136.0Oct 23, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / error_code
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```

addedOutput schema / properties / recovery

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "LikelyCause": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "NextSteps": {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": [
+        "null",
+        "array"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "LikelyCause",
+    "NextSteps"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / retryable
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "boolean"
+}
```

addedOutput schema / properties / suggested_tools

Added value: +{
+  "items": {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}

Addedv0.135.0Oct 15, 2026

TDQS

A4.1/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Annotations declare destructiveHint=true and idempotentHint=false, and the description adds the crucial nuance that nothing mutates until the returned token is approved, converting an apparently destructive call into a staged preview. It also discloses partial-update semantics ("omitted config fields preserve the existing hosted values") and per-call workspace scoping that does not alter defaults — none of which is derivable from the annotations or schema.

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?

Four tight sentences, front-loaded with the tool's identity and the confirm gate, with no filler. The workspace sentence partly restates the already detailed schema description for that parameter, which is the only redundancy.

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, the return payload (confirmation token) needn't be explained, and the two-phase lifecycle plus partial-update rule cover what an agent needs to invoke it correctly. It could still say more about failure modes, such as what happens when the source id is unknown or a field is invalid.

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 only 33%; name, source, and the workspace fields are documented in the schema, leaving hostname, port, username, password, database, and advanced undefined. The description compensates on the single most important ambiguity — that omitted fields are preserved rather than cleared — but adds nothing for the undocumented connection parameters or the advanced map.

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?

The description opens with a specific verb plus resource ("Prepare update of a hosted WhoDB source") and makes the staged nature explicit. It distinguishes itself from whodb_platform_confirm but never clarifies how it differs from the generic whodb_platform_update sibling that also appears in the toolset.

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?

It gives a clear use sequence and an explicit prohibition: do not call whodb_platform_confirm until the user approves the confirmation preview. That is real when/when-not guidance. It stops short of naming alternative tools for the case where the caller wants an immediate read-back (e.g. whodb_platform_source_config).

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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