packages_listLists installed Android packages on a connected device, showing third-party apps by default and optionally filtering by name or device serial.
List installed packages, third-party only by default.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| filter | No | Substring filter | |
| serial | No | Device serial from devices_list. Optional when exactly one device is online. | |
| thirdPartyOnly | No |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v0.1.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
The readOnlyHint annotation already establishes the safe-read profile, so the bar is lower. The description adds the meaningful behavioral detail that results are third-party only by default, but says nothing about output shape, pagination, or device-selection behavior when multiple devices are connected.
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?
A single front-loaded sentence with no wasted words. It is perhaps too terse for the routing and device-selection context, but it is efficiently structured.
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 simple read-only, three-parameter tool this is minimally adequate. However, it omits important context around the serial parameter's conditional requirement and does not help an agent choose between this and related tools like project_apks or adb_shell.
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 moderate (67%), with filter and serial documented in the schema. The description adds meaning for thirdPartyOnly by clarifying its default behavior, which the schema only encodes as a bare default value.
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?
States a specific verb and resource ('List installed packages') and adds a useful scope detail ('third-party only by default'). It does not name or distinguish itself from likely siblings such as project_apks or adb_shell, so it stops short of a 5.
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?
There is no explicit when-to-use or when-not-to-use guidance, and no alternative tool is named. An agent must infer that this is for enumerating installed packages rather than project APKs or shell queries.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.