Google Play MCP

list_apps

Retrieves the Android apps a service account can access, returning package names and display names for read-only inventory and app selection.

Instructions

List the apps this service account can see (packageName + display name). Uses the OPTIONAL Play Developer Reporting API — the Publisher API has no 'list apps' call — so it needs that API enabled in the Cloud project and 'View app information' access. Read-only.

Tool call template

This tool declares no required parameters. Add optional parameters from the input schema as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {},
    "name": "list_apps"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`pageSize`	No	Default 100

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Nov 10, 2026

TDQS

A4/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

With no annotations supplied, the description carries the full burden, and it does meaningful work: it declares "Read-only", explains it depends on a different API than the rest of the surface (the Publisher API has no list-apps call), and names the two prerequisites. It does not mention pagination behavior or what happens when the Reporting API is not enabled, which keeps it from a 5.

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 tight sentences, front-loaded with the verb and resource, then the operational caveat. No filler, and the read-only note is placed last as a quick safety confirmation.

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?

For a zero-required-parameter read tool with no output schema, the description compensates by naming the returned fields and the API/access prerequisites. Pagination semantics remain unexplained despite pageSize existing, which is the only real gap for a listing tool.

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 pageSize parameter is already documented with its default of 100, so the baseline is 3. The description adds no meaning about paging, result limits, or how to retrieve subsequent pages, so it neither compensates nor detracts.

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?

States a specific verb and resource ("List the apps") plus the exact scope ("this service account can see") and the returned fields ("packageName + display name"). It does not explicitly contrast itself with the app-scoped siblings like list_apks or list_bundles, so it falls short of a 5, but an agent can tell what it does without opening the schema.

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 the practical context needed to use it: the optional Play Developer Reporting API must be enabled in the Cloud project and the caller needs 'View app information' access. It never states the primary use case explicitly (discovering package names to feed the app-scoped list_* tools), so it stops short of naming when-to-use versus alternatives.

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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