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Notion MCP Server

by gendosu

API-delete-a-block

Remove a specific block from a Notion workspace by providing its unique block ID. Supports AI agents in managing and organizing content efficiently through the Notion API.

Instructions

Notion | Delete a block

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
block_idYesIdentifier for a Notion block

Implementation Reference

  • Generic MCP tool call handler that executes 'API-delete-a-block' by looking up the corresponding OpenAPI operation and calling the HTTP client.
    this.server.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, async (request) => {
      const { name, arguments: params } = request.params
    
      // Find the operation in OpenAPI spec
      const operation = this.findOperation(name)
      if (!operation) {
        throw new Error(`Method ${name} not found`)
      }
    
      try {
        // Execute the operation
        const response = await this.httpClient.executeOperation(operation, params)
    
        // Convert response to MCP format
        return {
          content: [
            {
              type: 'text', // currently this is the only type that seems to be used by mcp server
              text: JSON.stringify(response.data), // TODO: pass through the http status code text?
            },
          ],
        }
      } catch (error) {
        console.error('Error in tool call', error)
        if (error instanceof HttpClientError) {
          console.error('HttpClientError encountered, returning structured error', error)
          const data = error.data?.response?.data ?? error.data ?? {}
          return {
            content: [
              {
                type: 'text',
                text: JSON.stringify({
                  status: 'error', // TODO: get this from http status code?
                  ...(typeof data === 'object' ? data : { data: data }),
                }),
              },
            ],
          }
        }
        throw error
      }
    })
  • Registers the list tools handler, which dynamically includes 'API-delete-a-block' in the tools list (toolName='API', method.name='delete-a-block').
    this.server.setRequestHandler(ListToolsRequestSchema, async () => {
      const tools: Tool[] = []
    
      // Add methods as separate tools to match the MCP format
      Object.entries(this.tools).forEach(([toolName, def]) => {
        def.methods.forEach(method => {
          const toolNameWithMethod = `${toolName}-${method.name}`;
          const truncatedToolName = this.truncateToolName(toolNameWithMethod);
          tools.push({
            name: truncatedToolName,
            description: method.description,
            inputSchema: method.inputSchema as Tool['inputSchema'],
          })
        })
      })
    
      return { tools }
    })
  • Generates input schema and method definition for OpenAPI operations used as MCP tools like 'delete-a-block'.
    private convertOperationToMCPMethod(operation: OpenAPIV3.OperationObject, method: string, path: string): NewToolMethod | null {
      if (!operation.operationId) {
        console.warn(`Operation without operationId at ${method} ${path}`)
        return null
      }
    
      const methodName = operation.operationId
    
      const inputSchema: IJsonSchema & { type: 'object' } = {
        $defs: this.convertComponentsToJsonSchema(),
        type: 'object',
        properties: {},
        required: [],
      }
    
      // Handle parameters (path, query, header, cookie)
      if (operation.parameters) {
        for (const param of operation.parameters) {
          const paramObj = this.resolveParameter(param)
          if (paramObj && paramObj.schema) {
            const schema = this.convertOpenApiSchemaToJsonSchema(paramObj.schema, new Set(), false)
            // Merge parameter-level description if available
            if (paramObj.description) {
              schema.description = paramObj.description
            }
            inputSchema.properties![paramObj.name] = schema
            if (paramObj.required) {
              inputSchema.required!.push(paramObj.name)
            }
          }
        }
      }
    
      // Handle requestBody
      if (operation.requestBody) {
        const bodyObj = this.resolveRequestBody(operation.requestBody)
        if (bodyObj?.content) {
          // Handle multipart/form-data for file uploads
          // We convert the multipart/form-data schema to a JSON schema and we require
          // that the user passes in a string for each file that points to the local file
          if (bodyObj.content['multipart/form-data']?.schema) {
            const formSchema = this.convertOpenApiSchemaToJsonSchema(bodyObj.content['multipart/form-data'].schema, new Set(), false)
            if (formSchema.type === 'object' && formSchema.properties) {
              for (const [name, propSchema] of Object.entries(formSchema.properties)) {
                inputSchema.properties![name] = propSchema
              }
              if (formSchema.required) {
                inputSchema.required!.push(...formSchema.required!)
              }
            }
          }
          // Handle application/json
          else if (bodyObj.content['application/json']?.schema) {
            const bodySchema = this.convertOpenApiSchemaToJsonSchema(bodyObj.content['application/json'].schema, new Set(), false)
            // Merge body schema into the inputSchema's properties
            if (bodySchema.type === 'object' && bodySchema.properties) {
              for (const [name, propSchema] of Object.entries(bodySchema.properties)) {
                inputSchema.properties![name] = propSchema
              }
              if (bodySchema.required) {
                inputSchema.required!.push(...bodySchema.required!)
              }
            } else {
              // If the request body is not an object, just put it under "body"
              inputSchema.properties!['body'] = bodySchema
              inputSchema.required!.push('body')
            }
          }
        }
      }
    
      // Build description including error responses
      let description = operation.summary || operation.description || ''
      if (operation.responses) {
        const errorResponses = Object.entries(operation.responses)
          .filter(([code]) => code.startsWith('4') || code.startsWith('5'))
          .map(([code, response]) => {
            const responseObj = this.resolveResponse(response)
            let errorDesc = responseObj?.description || ''
            return `${code}: ${errorDesc}`
          })
    
        if (errorResponses.length > 0) {
          description += '\nError Responses:\n' + errorResponses.join('\n')
        }
      }
    
      // Extract return type (response schema)
      const returnSchema = this.extractResponseType(operation.responses)
    
      // Generate Zod schema from input schema
      try {
        // const zodSchemaStr = jsonSchemaToZod(inputSchema, { module: "cjs" })
        // console.log(zodSchemaStr)
        // // Execute the function with the zod instance
        // const zodSchema = eval(zodSchemaStr) as z.ZodType
    
        return {
          name: methodName,
          description,
          inputSchema,
          ...(returnSchema ? { returnSchema } : {}),
        }
      } catch (error) {
        console.warn(`Failed to generate Zod schema for ${methodName}:`, error)
        // Fallback to a basic object schema
        return {
          name: methodName,
          description,
          inputSchema,
          ...(returnSchema ? { returnSchema } : {}),
        }
      }
    }
  • Populates the tools and openApiLookup where 'API-delete-a-block' is mapped to its OpenAPI operation details.
      for (const [path, pathItem] of Object.entries(this.openApiSpec.paths || {})) {
        if (!pathItem) continue
    
        for (const [method, operation] of Object.entries(pathItem)) {
          if (!this.isOperation(method, operation)) continue
    
          const mcpMethod = this.convertOperationToMCPMethod(operation, method, path)
          if (mcpMethod) {
            const uniqueName = this.ensureUniqueName(mcpMethod.name)
            mcpMethod.name = uniqueName
            mcpMethod.description = this.getDescription(operation.summary || operation.description || '')
            tools[apiName]!.methods.push(mcpMethod)
            openApiLookup[apiName + '-' + uniqueName] = { ...operation, method, path }
            zip[apiName + '-' + uniqueName] = { openApi: { ...operation, method, path }, mcp: mcpMethod }
          }
        }
      }
    
      return { tools, openApiLookup, zip }
    }
  • Executes the actual HTTP request using openapi-client-axios for the OpenAPI operation backing 'API-delete-a-block'.
    async executeOperation<T = any>(
      operation: OpenAPIV3.OperationObject & { method: string; path: string },
      params: Record<string, any> = {},
    ): Promise<HttpClientResponse<T>> {
      const api = await this.api
      const operationId = operation.operationId
      if (!operationId) {
        throw new Error('Operation ID is required')
      }
    
      // Handle file uploads if present
      const formData = await this.prepareFileUpload(operation, params)
    
      // Separate parameters based on their location
      const urlParameters: Record<string, any> = {}
      const bodyParams: Record<string, any> = formData || { ...params }
    
      // Extract path and query parameters based on operation definition
      if (operation.parameters) {
        for (const param of operation.parameters) {
          if ('name' in param && param.name && param.in) {
            if (param.in === 'path' || param.in === 'query') {
              if (params[param.name] !== undefined) {
                urlParameters[param.name] = params[param.name]
                if (!formData) {
                  delete bodyParams[param.name]
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    
      // Add all parameters as url parameters if there is no requestBody defined
      if (!operation.requestBody && !formData) {
        for (const key in bodyParams) {
          if (bodyParams[key] !== undefined) {
            urlParameters[key] = bodyParams[key]
            delete bodyParams[key]
          }
        }
      }
    
      const operationFn = (api as any)[operationId]
      if (!operationFn) {
        throw new Error(`Operation ${operationId} not found`)
      }
    
      try {
        // If we have form data, we need to set the correct headers
        const hasBody = Object.keys(bodyParams).length > 0
        const headers = formData
          ? formData.getHeaders()
          : { ...(hasBody ? { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' } : { 'Content-Type': null }) }
        const requestConfig = {
          headers: {
            ...headers,
          },
        }
    
        // first argument is url parameters, second is body parameters
        const response = await operationFn(urlParameters, hasBody ? bodyParams : undefined, requestConfig)
    
        // Convert axios headers to Headers object
        const responseHeaders = new Headers()
        Object.entries(response.headers).forEach(([key, value]) => {
          if (value) responseHeaders.append(key, value.toString())
        })
    
        return {
          data: response.data,
          status: response.status,
          headers: responseHeaders,
        }
      } catch (error: any) {
        if (error.response) {
          console.error('Error in http client', error)
          const headers = new Headers()
          Object.entries(error.response.headers).forEach(([key, value]) => {
            if (value) headers.append(key, value.toString())
          })
    
          throw new HttpClientError(error.response.statusText || 'Request failed', error.response.status, error.response.data, headers)
        }
        throw error
      }
    }
Behavior2/5

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It states 'Delete a block' which implies a destructive mutation, but it doesn't specify if deletion is permanent, requires permissions, has side effects (e.g., on children blocks), or includes confirmation steps. This leaves significant gaps for a mutation tool.

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?

The description 'Notion | Delete a block' is extremely concise and front-loaded, with no wasted words. It efficiently conveys the core action and resource in a minimal format.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given this is a destructive mutation tool with no annotations and no output schema, the description is incomplete. It lacks critical details like behavioral traits (e.g., irreversibility, permissions), usage context, and expected outcomes, making it inadequate for safe and effective tool invocation.

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 description coverage is 100%, with the parameter 'block_id' documented as 'Identifier for a Notion block'. The description adds no additional meaning beyond this, such as format examples or constraints. Baseline 3 is appropriate since the schema handles parameter documentation adequately.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose3/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description 'Notion | Delete a block' states the action (delete) and resource (a block), but it's vague about scope (e.g., whether it's permanent or reversible) and doesn't distinguish from siblings like 'API-update-a-block' or 'API-retrieve-a-block'. It provides a basic purpose but lacks specificity.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance is given on when to use this tool versus alternatives (e.g., 'API-update-a-block' for modifications or 'API-retrieve-a-block' for viewing). The description implies deletion but offers no context on prerequisites, exclusions, or typical use cases.

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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