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list_database_dumps

Lists backup dump archives for one managed database, newest first with size and timestamp, to check retention or confirm a timed-out dump finished before retrying.

Instructions

List the dump tars this daemon holds for one managed database.

    Newest first, ``{dump, size_bytes, created_at}`` per row, where
    ``created_at`` is the tar's mtime (the listing never opens an archive).
    Metadata only, like ``dump_database``: the tars themselves stay under
    the daemon's backups directory and are never served over HTTP, and each
    one holds every row of ``name``.

    Two things this read is for. It is the recovery path when a
    ``dump_database`` call outran your client's read budget — **the dump
    still completes server-side and shows up here**, so list before you
    retry. And it is how you check retention: the daemon keeps the last
    ``[retention].dump_keep_last`` per database (default 5) and prunes the
    rest hourly, so on a default daemon what is listed here is all there is.
    Retention can be turned off (``dump_keep_last = 0``), so the listing is
    capped at the newest 500 instead: ``truncated`` is true when older tars
    exist on the box that this page does not name.

    Owner-or-admin plus token scope — the same gate as the dump that
    produced them, because knowing which dumps a database has is knowing
    something about the data.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
nameYesName of an existing managed database (``kind=database``); an app or model row is refused.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.1.0

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden and covers it: ordering (newest first), that archives are never opened (mtime only), that tars stay under the daemon's backups directory and are never served over HTTP, retention defaults (dump_keep_last=5, hourly pruning), the 500-row cap, the truncated flag, and the owner-or-admin plus token scope gate.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the core action and return shape, then organized by use case and retention rules; the prose is dense with information rather than padded. Slightly long with markdown styling and some redundancy, but nearly every sentence adds a behavioral fact.

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?

There is no output schema, so the description supplying the row shape ({dump, size_bytes, created_at}), the meaning of created_at, and the truncated flag is essential and provided. Authorization requirements and retention behavior round it out; nothing an agent needs to call or interpret the result is missing.

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%, so the single parameter and its kind=database constraint are already documented. The description adds only marginal meaning ('each one holds every row of ``name``'), which is consistent with the schema but does not extend it substantially, so the baseline 3 applies.

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 ('List the dump tars this daemon holds for one managed database'), scoping it to a single database. It is clearly distinguishable from siblings like list_databases and dump_database by naming dump_database directly and contrasting the listing with the dump operation.

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?

Explicitly names two situations: the recovery path after a dump_database call outran the client read budget ('list before you retry'), and retention checking. It also states what the listing contains under pruning and truncation, so when-not conditions are covered.

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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