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pico-bay

pico-bay

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by ctrlpi
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JavaScript
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Put a board into firmware install mode

pico_board_bootloader
Destructive

Restart a selected Pico or ESP32 board into firmware install mode (BOOTSEL or ROM download), stopping its running program and serial port; confirm with the user first.

Instructions

Restart the selected board into firmware install mode: BOOTSEL on a Pico, ROM download mode on an ESP32. The running program stops and the board leaves its normal serial port, so ask the user first. When an ESP32 cannot be reset automatically the result has manual: true and a reason, and the user must hold BOOT while pressing RESET. Afterwards call pico_boards_list, then pico_install with action check.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "board_id": "<board_id>"
    },
    "name": "pico_board_bootloader"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
board_idYesStable board UID returned by pico_boards_list, or its current serial device path.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.1.0

TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

Goes well beyond the destructiveHint=true annotation by naming the side effects concretely: the running program stops and the board drops off its normal serial port. It also documents a real failure mode the annotations cannot express — a returned manual: true with a reason, requiring the user to hold BOOT while pressing RESET.

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 tight sentences, ordered as effect → caution → failure case → next steps. No filler, and the most safety-relevant clause ("ask the user first") lands early.

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?

Despite having no output schema, the description covers the return contract for the tricky case (manual: true plus reason) and the recovery workflow. For a one-parameter, destructive restart tool, nothing an agent needs 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 board_id parameter is already fully documented as a stable UID or serial device path. The description adds no further meaning about the identifier, so the baseline of 3 applies with the schema doing the work.

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 and resource ("Restart the selected board into firmware install mode") and immediately disambiguates the mechanism per platform: BOOTSEL on a Pico, ROM download mode on an ESP32. This separates it in the agent's mind from the plain restart implied by the sibling pico_board_reset.

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 a clear precondition ("ask the user first") and a concrete follow-up sequence ("call pico_boards_list, then pico_install with action check"), which is exactly the guidance an agent needs after invoking. It does not explicitly say when to prefer pico_board_reset or pico_board_interrupt instead, which is the one missing routing cue.

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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