Skip to main content
Glama

read-email

Read-only

Retrieve a single email by ID and get its content, sender, recipients, and metadata. Enable headers mode to examine security and authentication headers.

Instructions

Read a single email by id (read-only). Default: returns the full message body (HTML stripped to text by default), subject, from/to/cc, receivedDateTime, conversationId, attachments metadata, and webLink as Markdown. With headersMode: true: returns RFC-822 forensic headers instead (DKIM, SPF, DMARC, Received chain, Message-ID, Authentication-Results) — pair with importantOnly: true for the security-relevant subset, groupByType: true for category-bucketed view, or raw: true for JSON instead of Markdown. With includeHeaders: true (non-headers-mode): adds basic headers alongside body. Use outputVerbosity (minimal/standard/full) to control field count.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
idYesID of the email to read
rawNoReturn raw JSON instead of Markdown (headersMode only, default: false)
groupByTypeNoGroup headers by category (headersMode only, default: false)
headersModeNoReturn forensic headers instead of email content (default: false)
importantOnlyNoShow only important headers (headersMode only, default: false)
includeHeadersNoInclude basic headers alongside email content (default: false)
outputVerbosityNoOutput detail level (default: standard)
Behavior4/5

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

Description discloses return format (Markdown vs JSON), conditional headers (forensic vs basic), and output verbosity. Annotations already indicate read-only and open world; the description adds behavioral details on stripping HTML, attachment metadata, and mode combinations.

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?

Single dense paragraph is well-structured: core action first, then defaults, then conditional modes. Every sentence adds value without redundancy.

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?

With 7 parameters and no output schema, description sufficiently covers all modes, default returns, and formatting options. No gaps for typical usage scenarios.

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 covers all 7 parameters (100% coverage). Description enriches semantics by explaining parameter interactions (e.g., headersMode with importantOnly, groupByType, raw) and default values for outputVerbosity.

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?

Description clearly states 'Read a single email by id (read-only)' with specific verb and resource. Default output and conditional modes are detailed, distinguishing it from sibling tools like send-email or draft.

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?

Description explains default behavior and various modes (headersMode, includeHeaders, outputVerbosity), providing clear context for different use cases. However, no explicit when-to-use or when-not-to-use compared to alternatives.

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

Install Server

Other Tools

Latest Blog Posts

MCP directory API

We provide all the information about MCP servers via our MCP API.

curl -X GET 'https://glama.ai/api/mcp/v1/servers/littlebearapps/outlook-mcp'

If you have feedback or need assistance with the MCP directory API, please join our Discord server