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manage_blackboard

Destructive

Coordinate shared behavior tree state across autonomous agents: read, write, delete, lease, list, or ingest state slices with staleness protection and mutex leases.

Instructions

Read, write, delete, lease, list, or ingest structured state slices into shared behavior tree blackboard state (actions: get, set, delete, lease, list, ingest_slice). Use manage_blackboard instead of set_parameters when coordinating state across behavior nodes, projecting perception/spatial slices with staleness protection, or acquiring agent mutex leases.

Returns blackboard value, lease acquisition status, key listings, or slice ingestion summary with expiry metadata.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
keyNoBlackboard variable key
modeNoLease action mode: acquire or release (default: acquire)
valueNoBlackboard variable value
actionYesBlackboard operation: get, set, delete, lease, list, ingest_slice
ttl_msNoTime-to-live before slice expires and is marked stale (default: 5000ms)
payloadNoKey-value dictionary of slice data to project into blackboard (action: ingest_slice)
projectNoTarget project slug
agent_idNoAgent identifier for lease actions
slice_typeNoSlice category for ingest_slice (default: spatial)
execution_idNoTarget execution ID
duration_secondsNoLease duration in seconds

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed5 schema fields changedv0.4.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / action / description
      Previous value: -"Blackboard operation: get, set, delete, lease, list"New value: +"Blackboard operation: get, set, delete, lease, list, ingest_slice"
    • changedInput schema / properties / action / enum
      Previous value: -[
      -  "get",
      -  "set",
      -  "delete",
      -  "lease",
      -  "list"
      -]New value: +[
      +  "get",
      +  "set",
      +  "delete",
      +  "lease",
      +  "list",
      +  "ingest_slice"
      +]
    • addedInput schema / properties / payload
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Key-value dictionary of slice data to project into blackboard (action: ingest_slice)",
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / slice_type
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Slice category for ingest_slice (default: spatial)",
      +  "enum": [
      +    "spatial",
      +    "visual",
      +    "task",
      +    "vitals"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / ttl_ms
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Time-to-live before slice expires and is marked stale (default: 5000ms)",
      +  "type": "number"
      +}
  2. Changed1 schema field changedv0.3.1
    • addedInput schema / properties / action / enum
      Added value: +[
      +  "get",
      +  "set",
      +  "delete",
      +  "lease",
      +  "list"
      +]
  3. Changed11 schema fields changedv0.2.1
    • removedInput schema / $schema
      Removed value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
    • removedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Removed value: -false
    • addedInput schema / properties / action / description
      Added value: +"Blackboard operation: get, set, delete, lease, list"
    • removedInput schema / properties / action / enum
      Removed value: -[
      -  "get",
      -  "set"
      -]
    • addedInput schema / properties / agent_id
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Agent identifier for lease actions",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / duration_seconds
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Lease duration in seconds",
      +  "type": "number"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / execution_id / description
      Added value: +"Target execution ID"
    • addedInput schema / properties / key / description
      Added value: +"Blackboard variable key"
    • addedInput schema / properties / mode
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Lease action mode: acquire or release (default: acquire)",
      +  "enum": [
      +    "acquire",
      +    "release"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / project / description
      Added value: +"Target project slug"
    • addedInput schema / properties / value / description
      Added value: +"Blackboard variable value"
  4. First observedv0.1.2

TDQS

A4.3/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare destructiveHint=true and non-idempotent/non-read-only, so the safety profile is covered structurally. The description still adds non-obvious behavior beyond that: TTL-based slice staleness ('expires and is marked stale') and lease acquisition semantics with returned status/expiry metadata. It stops short of saying what a delete irreversibly removes or how leases behave on contention.

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 sentences, front-loaded with the verb/resource and action set, with the usage routing second. Slightly wasteful in that the inline action enumeration duplicates the enum already in the schema, but there is no filler.

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

Completeness4/5

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

With 11 parameters, nested payload objects, and no output schema, the description usefully enumerates the return shapes ('blackboard value, lease acquisition status, key listings, or slice ingestion summary with expiry metadata'). It does not map parameters to specific actions (e.g., lease needing agent_id/duration_seconds), but the fully documented schema covers that.

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% across all 11 parameters, so the schema already carries parameter meaning; the description adds essentially nothing beyond restating the action list. This is the correct baseline when the schema does the heavy lifting.

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?

The description names a specific resource (shared behavior tree blackboard state) and enumerates the concrete operations (get, set, delete, lease, list, ingest_slice), which map exactly to the action enum. It also names the sibling set_parameters it displaces, so an agent can distinguish it without opening either schema.

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?

It gives explicit when-to-use criteria and names the alternative: 'Use manage_blackboard instead of set_parameters when coordinating state across behavior nodes, projecting perception/spatial slices with staleness protection, or acquiring agent mutex leases.' The selection condition is stated rather than inferred.

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