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Get user detail

get_user

Read-onlyIdempotent

Read a user's profile to confirm account status, admin flag, email, and login before assigning work, or use 'me' to identify the account the server acts as.

Instructions

Read one user's profile: name, login, email, admin flag and status.

Use it after search_principals when you need more than a name — to confirm an account is active before assigning work, to check whether somebody is an instance administrator, or to learn which account the server itself is acting as (id_or_me='me').

Returns {id, name, login, email, admin, status, language, created_at, updated_at}. The avatar URL is deliberately dropped: it costs tokens and cannot be rendered here.

Pitfalls. email, login and admin are visibility-dependent — a null means the authenticated account may not see that field, never that the value is empty. admin=true says nothing about project permissions; use list_permissions for what the current user may actually do. A group or placeholder-user id returns 404 from this endpoint; those principals only appear in search_principals.

Cross-references: search_principals to find the id; list_memberships(principal_id=...) for the projects and roles this person holds; get_instance_info also reports the current user.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`id_or_me`	Yes	Numeric user id from search_principals, or the literal string 'me' for the account this server authenticates as. Group and placeholder ids are not accepted here — this endpoint serves users only.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`id`	No
`name`	No
`admin`	No
`email`	No
`login`	No
`status`	No
`language`	No
`created_at`	No
`updated_at`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed37 schema fields changedv0.4.0Oct 24, 2026

removedOutput schema / description

Removed value: -"Full user detail. The avatar URL is deliberately dropped."

removedOutput schema / properties / admin / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "boolean"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedOutput schema / properties / admin / default
```
Removed value: -null
```

removedOutput schema / properties / admin / description

Removed value: -"True for instance administrators. Null when the field is not visible to the caller — treat null as 'unknown', never as 'not an admin'."

addedOutput schema / properties / admin / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "boolean",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / created_at / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedOutput schema / properties / created_at / default
```
Removed value: -null
```
removedOutput schema / properties / created_at / description
```
Removed value: -"ISO 8601 UTC timestamp."
```
addedOutput schema / properties / created_at / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / email / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedOutput schema / properties / email / default
```
Removed value: -null
```

removedOutput schema / properties / email / description

Removed value: -"Email address; null when the authenticated account may not see it."

addedOutput schema / properties / email / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / id / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "integer"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedOutput schema / properties / id / default
```
Removed value: -null
```
removedOutput schema / properties / id / description
```
Removed value: -"Numeric user id."
```

addedOutput schema / properties / id / type

Added value: +[
+  "integer",
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]

removedOutput schema / properties / language / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedOutput schema / properties / language / default
```
Removed value: -null
```

removedOutput schema / properties / language / description

Removed value: -"Interface language code, e.g. 'en'. Absent on some instances."

addedOutput schema / properties / language / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / login / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedOutput schema / properties / login / default
```
Removed value: -null
```
removedOutput schema / properties / login / description
```
Removed value: -"Login name used to sign in."
```
addedOutput schema / properties / login / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / name / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedOutput schema / properties / name / default
```
Removed value: -null
```

removedOutput schema / properties / name / description

Removed value: -"Display name, e.g. 'Grace Hopper'."

addedOutput schema / properties / name / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / status / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedOutput schema / properties / status / default
```
Removed value: -null
```

removedOutput schema / properties / status / description

Removed value: -"Account status, one of: active, invited, registered, locked."

addedOutput schema / properties / status / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / updated_at / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

removedOutput schema / properties / updated_at / default
```
Removed value: -null
```
removedOutput schema / properties / updated_at / description
```
Removed value: -"ISO 8601 UTC timestamp."
```
addedOutput schema / properties / updated_at / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

First observedv0.1.0Aug 12, 2026

TDQS

A4.9/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Goes well beyond the annotations (which only cover read-only/idempotent/no-destroy) by disclosing visibility-dependent field behavior — a null means 'not visible', never 'empty' — that `admin=true` does not imply project permissions, and that group or placeholder ids return 404. These are exactly the traps an agent would otherwise hit.

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?

Purpose and return shape are front-loaded, followed by usage, then a clearly labeled 'Pitfalls' block and cross-references. Every paragraph carries distinct information, including the justification for the deliberately omitted avatar URL, so nothing reads as filler.

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?

Although an output schema exists, the description still previews the return payload and explains the notable omission, then covers the failure mode (404) and permission caveats. For a one-parameter read tool, an agent has everything needed to call it correctly and interpret nulls.

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?

Schema coverage is 100% and the single parameter is fully documented in the schema, so the baseline is 3. The description adds practical value by explaining the `'me'` sentinel's purpose (learning which account the server authenticates as) and reinforcing that group/placeholder ids are rejected, beyond the schema's wording.

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 ('Read one user's profile') and enumerates exactly what is returned (name, login, email, admin, status). It is clearly distinguished from the similarly named `search_principals`, which the description explicitly frames as the id-lookup step that precedes this call.

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

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

Names the precise trigger ('after search_principals when you need more than a name') and gives three concrete scenarios: confirming an account is active before assigning work, checking instance-admin status, and discovering the acting account via `id_or_me='me'`. It also routes the agent elsewhere for adjacent questions (`list_permissions` for actual capabilities, `list_memberships` for roles).

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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