Fetch recent payments for a Stellar account by supplying its G... address. Use the limit parameter to adjust how many payments are returned for faster account activity checks.
Get recent payments for a Stellar account
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| limit | No | Number of payments to return | |
| accountId | Yes | Stellar account ID (G... address) |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v0.2.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations present, the description must disclose behavioral context on its own, but it only states 'Get recent payments'. It does not describe ordering, pagination, cursor handling, response shape, or whether the result includes both sent and received payments.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is a single, front-loded sentence with no filler words. It conveys the action and target resource clearly while remaining appropriately brief for a simple read endpoint.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Without annotations or an output schema, the definition lacks important context such as pagination behavior, response contents, and relationship to transactions/operations/effects. An agent would need to inspect the API docs to call this tool correctly in non-triival cases.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The input schema has 100% description coverage, documenting accountId and limit with default/bounds. The description adds only the word 'recent,' which suggests recency ordering but does not explain how that interacts with limit or how to page further back.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly identifies the action ('Get') and resource ('recent payments for a Stellar account'), so the core purpose is immediately understandable. However, it does not distinguish payments from sibling tools like getTransactions or getOperations, which likely overlap in a Stellar API context.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
No guidance is provided about when to choose getPayments over related endpoints such as getTransactions, getOperations, or getEffects. The description only implies 'use this for recent payments' without exclusions or mention of pagination/alternatives.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.