Home Assistant MCP Server

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Get error log

get_error_log

Read-onlyIdempotent

Fetch the tail of Home Assistant's error log to diagnose problems, optionally filtering by log level, line count, or text/regex pattern.

Instructions

Fetch the tail of the Home Assistant error log, optionally keeping only lines that match a filter.

Tool call template

This tool declares no required parameters. Add optional parameters from the input schema as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {},
    "name": "get_error_log"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`level`	No	Keep only lines at this log level.
`lines`	No	How many lines from the end to return.
`filter`	No	Case insensitive substring or regular expression. Only matching lines are kept.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.2.1Nov 5, 2026

TDQS

A3.6/5.0

Behavior3/5

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

Annotations already establish this is a read-only, idempotent, non-destructive, closed-world operation, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds the important behavioral detail that only the tail is returned, but says nothing about what happens when the log is smaller than the requested count, whether output is a list or string, or ordering.

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?

A single sentence with the resource and the tail scope front-loaded, and no redundant or filler clauses. Every element earns its place.

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?

For a simple, zero-required-parameter read tool with full schema coverage and annotations, this is nearly complete; a brief note on return shape (e.g., a list of log lines) and its relationship to get_system_log is the only meaningful gap.

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%, documenting level, lines with default/min/max, and filter semantics, so the schema carries the load. The description only restates the filter idea at a high level and adds no new meaning such as precedence between level and filter or whether filter applies after tailing.

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?

Specific verb and resource ('Fetch the tail of the Home Assistant error log') with scope spelled out: tail only, optional line filtering. It is clear what it returns, but it never distinguishes itself from the sibling get_system_log, so an agent must guess which log tool to pick.

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?

Usage context is implied by the word 'error log' and the optional filter, but there is no explicit when-to-use or when-not-to-use guidance and no mention of the obvious alternative, get_system_log.

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