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The OtterStax MCP Server

The OtterStax MCP Server

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by otterstax
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TypeScript
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explain_query

Reveals the execution plan for a SQL statement via EXPLAIN; if unsupported, returns the server's error.

Instructions

Show the plan of a statement (EXPLAIN ). The OtterStax build you talk to may not support EXPLAIN yet; then this returns the server's error.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "sql": "<sql>"
    },
    "name": "explain_query"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
sqlYesThe statement to explain

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.0.0

TDQS

B3.4/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden, and it does disclose one non-obvious behavioral trait: deployments lacking EXPLAIN support return the server's error rather than failing silently. However, it says nothing about the return shape (text plan vs rows), read-only safety, or whether the statement is actually executed, which matters for a tool taking arbitrary SQL.

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?

Two compact sentences with the core purpose front-loaded and the caveat trailing; no filler. Slightly terse given the missing return-format detail, but nothing is wasted.

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?

There is no output schema, so the description should explain what comes back; it gestures at this (a plan, or the server's error) but doesn't describe the plan's format or whether the query runs. Adequate but with a clear gap for a single-param diagnostic tool.

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% and there is only one parameter ('sql', documented as 'The statement to explain'), so the schema already does the work. The description adds only the EXPLAIN framing via '<sql>', which is not meaningfully more than the schema provides.

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?

States a specific verb (show the plan) and resource (a statement), and the parenthetical '(EXPLAIN <sql>)' pins down the exact SQL operation being wrapped. It doesn't explicitly differentiate itself from the sibling execute_sql, but an agent can infer the distinction from 'plan' vs execution.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

The description implies when the tool is relevant (diagnosing a statement's plan) and warns about the unsupported-EXPLAIN case, but never says when to prefer it over execute_sql or list/describe siblings. Usage is only implied, not spelled out.

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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