markdown-vault-mcp

Recent Notes

get_recent

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve recently modified notes from a Markdown vault, ordered by modification time, to resume work or summarize recent activity without a search query.

Instructions

Get the most recently modified notes in the vault.

Returns notes ordered by file modification time (most recent first). Useful for surfacing recently changed content without a search query — for example to summarize recent activity or resume work on recently edited notes.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`limit`	No	Maximum number of notes to return (default 20).
`folder`	No	Optional folder filter. When provided, only returns notes from this folder (e.g. "Journal"). Use folder="" for root-level (top-level) documents only.
`wait_for_pending_writes`	No	Wait for recent index writes. On timeout, answer from the current index with _meta.index_stale=true. Default false.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv5.0.0Sep 15, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / wait_for_pending_writes / description

Previous value: -"When True, wait until your recent\ndocument mutations have been applied to the\nindex before answering, so the results reflect those changes.\nUse it right after modifying notes when this read must see\nthem (e.g. right after a document mutation whose\neffect this read should reflect). Default\nFalse answers immediately from the current index — almost\nalways already up to date; inspect the response's\n``_meta.index_stale`` field to tell whether a write was still\nin flight. Bounded by a server timeout (default 60s); on\ntimeout it answers from the current index rather than waiting\nlonger."New value: +"Wait for recent index writes. On timeout, answer from the current index with _meta.index_stale=true. Default false."

Changed2 schema fields changedv4.0.0Aug 26, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / folder / description

Previous value: -"Optional folder filter. When provided, only returns\nnotes from this folder (e.g. \"Journal\")."New value: +"Optional folder filter. When provided, only returns\nnotes from this folder (e.g. \"Journal\").\nUse folder=\"\" for root-level (top-level) documents only."

changedInput schema / properties / wait_for_pending_writes / description

Previous value: -"When True, wait until your recent\nwrite/edit/delete/rename operations have been applied to the\nindex before answering, so the results reflect those changes.\nUse it right after modifying notes when this read must see\nthem (e.g. right after a write/edit/delete/rename whose\neffect this read should reflect). Default\nFalse answers immediately from the current index — almost\nalways already up to date; inspect the response's\n``_meta.index_stale`` field to tell whether a write was still\nin flight. Bounded by a server timeout (default 60s); on\ntimeout it answers from the current index rather than waiting\nlonger."New value: +"When True, wait until your recent\ndocument mutations have been applied to the\nindex before answering, so the results reflect those changes.\nUse it right after modifying notes when this read must see\nthem (e.g. right after a document mutation whose\neffect this read should reflect). Default\nFalse answers immediately from the current index — almost\nalways already up to date; inspect the response's\n``_meta.index_stale`` field to tell whether a write was still\nin flight. Bounded by a server timeout (default 60s); on\ntimeout it answers from the current index rather than waiting\nlonger."

First observedv3.1.0Jul 8, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, and destructiveHint=false, so the description's burden is lighter. It adds ordering behavior ('ordered by file modification time, most recent first') and implies index usage without a query, which goes beyond the annotations and adds useful context.

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?

The description is compact and front-loaded: the primary purpose is in the first sentence, followed by the ordering detail, and then use cases. Every sentence contributes value without redundancy, making it efficient and easy to scan.

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 an output schema present and annotations covering safety, the description provides the essential context: what the tool does, how results are ordered, and when it's useful. It does not need to detail return values or parameter specifics because those are covered elsewhere. Nothing an agent needs to call it correctly 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 description coverage is 100% (all three parameters have detailed descriptions), so the schema already documents parameters. The tool description does not add any additional parameter semantics; it only mentions the general purpose, which is already covered by the schema. Baseline of 3 is appropriate.

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 ('Get') and resource ('most recently modified notes in the vault'), and distinguishes itself from search by noting it works 'without a search query.' It clearly identifies what it returns (notes ordered by modification time) and separates it from siblings like search and list_documents.

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?

Provides concrete use cases ('summarize recent activity or resume work on recently edited notes') and implies the alternative of a search query, but does not explicitly name siblings or state when NOT to use it. This is clear context, though not fully explicit about exclusions.

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