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now_playing

Read-only

Retrieve current Music player state and track details—including name, artist, album, ID, position, and duration—or confirm if playback is stopped. Read-only; requires Automation access.

Instructions

Current Music player state + track (name/artist/album/id/position/duration), or {"state": "stopped"}. Read-only; needs Automation access for Music.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No arguments

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.15.1

TDQS

A4.2/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and destructiveHint=false, yet the description still adds real context: the exact return payload shape and the stopped-state variant, plus the Automation permission requirement. It stops short of saying what happens when permission is denied (error vs. stopped state), which is the one behavioral ambiguity left.

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?

Two dense sentences with zero filler. The returned fields and the stopped-state fallback are front-loaded, and the permission caveat is appended where it belongs.

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 not be spelled out, yet the description still sketches the payload and the degenerate stopped case, which is the key completeness risk for a state-reader. Only the failure/auth-denied behavior is unaddressed.

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?

Zero parameters, so the baseline of 4 applies; there is nothing about parameter meaning the description could usefully add.

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?

The description names the exact resource (current Music player state plus track fields: name/artist/album/id/position/duration) and even specifies the terminal shape ({"state": "stopped"}). It implicitly but clearly separates itself from the mutating siblings (music_control, play_playlist, set_volume) by being the state reader.

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?

Usage is only implied — an agent infers it should call this to check what's playing. It gives a prerequisite ("needs Automation access for Music") but never names the sibling control tools or states when to prefer this over them.

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