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hald

Things MCP Server

by hald

get_today

Retrieve todos due today from the Things app using natural language commands, enabling efficient task management and priority tracking.

Instructions

Get todos due today

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No arguments

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
resultYes

Implementation Reference

  • The core handler function for the 'get_today' tool, decorated with @mcp.tool for automatic registration in FastMCP. It retrieves todos due today using things.today(), formats them, and returns a formatted string.
    @mcp.tool
    async def get_today() -> str:
        """Get todos due today"""
        todos = things.today(include_items=True)
        if not todos:
            return "No items found"
        formatted_todos = [format_todo(todo) for todo in todos]
        return "\n\n---\n\n".join(formatted_todos)
  • things_server.py:25-25 (registration)
    The @mcp.tool decorator registers the get_today function as an MCP tool.
    @mcp.tool
  • Docstring providing description and implicit schema (no input parameters, returns str).
    """Get todos due today"""
Behavior2/5

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries full burden for behavioral disclosure. While 'Get' implies a read operation, it doesn't specify whether this returns all todos due today or only incomplete ones, how results are sorted, if there's pagination, or what authentication might be required. The description is too minimal for a tool with no annotation support.

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 is extremely concise at just three words, front-loading the essential information with zero wasted language. Every word earns its place by specifying the action, resource, and temporal filter in minimal form.

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

Completeness3/5

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

Given the tool has zero parameters and an output schema exists, the description doesn't need to explain parameters or return values. However, for a read operation with no annotations, it should provide more behavioral context about what 'todos due today' means operationally. The description is complete enough for basic understanding but lacks depth about implementation details.

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?

The tool has zero parameters with 100% schema description coverage, so the schema already fully documents the parameter situation. The description doesn't need to compensate for any parameter gaps, and it correctly implies no input is required beyond the implicit 'today' filter. This meets the baseline expectation for zero-parameter tools.

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?

The description clearly states the tool's purpose with a specific verb ('Get') and resource ('todos due today'), making it immediately understandable. However, it doesn't explicitly distinguish this tool from similar siblings like 'get_todos' or 'get_upcoming', which might also retrieve todo items with different filters.

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?

The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. With siblings like 'get_todos', 'get_upcoming', 'get_recent', and 'get_anytime', there's no indication of when this specific 'today' filter is appropriate or what distinguishes it from other date-based queries.

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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