chrome-dev-mcp

Overview Schema Source Related Servers Discussions Admin

reload_tab

Destructive

Reload the connected Chrome tab, wait up to 30s for load or pause, and return the outcome; breakpoints persist and reload works while paused.

Instructions

Reload the connected tab and wait up to 30s for the new page's load event — or for execution to pause first, e.g. on a breakpoint hit during startup, in which case the call stack is returned. outcome is "loaded", "paused" or "still-loading" (the new page is in place but its load event had not fired by the deadline). Breakpoints carry over to the reloaded page. Also works while paused, no need to resume first: the pause ends with the old page.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`ignoreCache`	No	Bypass the HTTP cache, as Shift+F5 does.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`url`	No
`note`	No
`title`	No
`reason`	No	Pause reason. Present only when paused.
`outcome`	Yes	"loaded": the load event fired. "paused": execution paused before it did — see callStack. "same-document": only the #hash changed, so there is no load to wait for. "still-loading": the page committed but its load event did not fire in time. "download": the URL was handed to the download manager and the page did not change.
`callStack`	No	Same shape as get_debugger_state. Present only when paused.
`droppedBreakpoints`	No	Breakpoints set by `source` whose file has changed since: removed, and reported here once.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Addedv2.0.0Nov 2, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Goes well beyond the destructiveHint/openWorldHint annotations: discloses the 30s deadline, the three possible outcomes including the 'still-loading' edge case, breakpoint carryover to the new page, and that an active pause terminates with the old page. This is exactly the behavioral context an agent needs to interpret results.

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?

Front-loaded with the action and the timeout, then the outcome enumeration. The middle sentence is dense but each clause carries real information; only mild tightening could improve it.

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?

Output schema exists, yet the description still explains the outcome values and the paused-at-startup case, which is the key ambiguity for this tool. Nothing critical to correct invocation or result interpretation is 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 coverage is 100% and the single parameter ignoreCache is fully documented in-schema as Shift+F5. The description never mentions the parameter, so it adds nothing here — baseline 3.

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?

States a specific verb+resource ('Reload the connected tab') and immediately distinguishes itself from navigate/switch siblings by implying same-URL reload. The scope ('the connected tab') is unambiguous.

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?

Gives clear context: use it after source changes, and explicitly says it 'also works while paused, no need to resume first'. No explicit exclusion versus navigate_tab, but the reload-vs-navigate distinction is implied clearly enough.

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