pubmed-search-mcp

Overview Schema Source Related Servers Discussions Admin

read_session

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve saved session data like PMIDs, cached articles, summaries, search runs, and artifacts. Use it to revisit prior search results and replay queries without rerunning.

Instructions

Read session data through one schema-exact discriminated request.

Actions:

pmids: return PMIDs for one recorded search
article: return one cached article payload
summary: return current session summary and optional history
list_artifacts: list persistent MCP output artifact manifests
artifact: read one persistent artifact by artifact_id or artifact_uri
search_runs: list durable unified_search run envelopes
search_run: read one run by stable run_id
replay_search: return credential-free unified_search replay arguments

Each action accepts only its own fields. For remote artifact reads, select an artifact_id or artifact_uri locator and use artifact_file plus offset/max_chars to page through large files. Local paths remain redacted unless both include_local_paths and the server setting allow them.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`request`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed21 schema fields changedv0.7.2Sep 13, 2026

addedInput schema / $defs

Added value: +{
+  "ArtifactIdLocator": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "kind": {
+        "const": "artifact_id",
+        "title": "Kind",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "session_id": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 80,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,79}$",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Session Id"
+      },
+      "value": {
+        "maxLength": 512,
+        "minLength": 1,
+        "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,511}$",
+        "title": "Value",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "kind",
+      "value"
+    ],
+    "title": "ArtifactIdLocator",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "ArtifactUriLocator": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "kind": {
+        "const": "artifact_uri",
+        "title": "Kind",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "value": {
+        "maxLength": 605,
+        "minLength": 13,
+        "pattern": "^artifact://[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,79}/[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,511}$",
+        "title": "Value",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "kind",
+      "value"
+    ],
+    "title": "ArtifactUriLocator",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "SessionArticleRequest": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "action": {
+        "const": "article",
+        "title": "Action",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "pmid": {
+        "maxLength": 20,
+        "pattern": "^[1-9][0-9]{0,19}$",
+        "title": "Pmid",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "action",
+      "pmid"
+    ],
+    "title": "SessionArticleRequest",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "SessionArtifactRequest": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "action": {
+        "const": "artifact",
+        "title": "Action",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "artifact_file": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 512,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,511}$",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Artifact File"
+      },
+      "include_local_paths": {
+        "default": false,
+        "title": "Include Local Paths",
+        "type": "boolean"
+      },
+      "locator": {
+        "discriminator": {
+          "mapping": {
+            "artifact_id": "#/$defs/ArtifactIdLocator",
+            "artifact_uri": "#/$defs/ArtifactUriLocator"
+          },
+          "propertyName": "kind"
+        },
+        "oneOf": [
+          {
+            "$ref": "#/$defs/ArtifactIdLocator"
+          },
+          {
+            "$ref": "#/$defs/ArtifactUriLocator"
+          }
+        ],
+        "title": "Locator"
+      },
+      "max_chars": {
+        "default": 200000,
+        "maximum": 200000,
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "title": "Max Chars",
+        "type": "integer"
+      },
+      "offset": {
+        "default": 0,
+        "maximum": 2000000000,
+        "minimum": 0,
+        "title": "Offset",
+        "type": "integer"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "action",
+      "locator"
+    ],
+    "title": "SessionArtifactRequest",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "SessionListArtifactsRequest": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "action": {
+        "const": "list_artifacts",
+        "title": "Action",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "include_local_paths": {
+        "default": false,
+        "title": "Include Local Paths",
+        "type": "boolean"
+      },
+      "kind": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 500,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Kind"
+      },
+      "limit": {
+        "default": 10,
+        "maximum": 100,
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "title": "Limit",
+        "type": "integer"
+      },
+      "session_id": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 80,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,79}$",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Session Id"
+      },
+      "tool": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 500,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Tool"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "action"
+    ],
+    "title": "SessionListArtifactsRequest",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "SessionLogRequest": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "action": {
+        "const": "log",
+        "title": "Action",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "event_limit": {
+        "default": 50,
+        "maximum": 500,
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "title": "Event Limit",
+        "type": "integer"
+      },
+      "history_limit": {
+        "default": 10,
+        "maximum": 100,
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "title": "History Limit",
+        "type": "integer"
+      },
+      "include_history": {
+        "default": true,
+        "title": "Include History",
+        "type": "boolean"
+      },
+      "kind": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 500,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Kind"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "action"
+    ],
+    "title": "SessionLogRequest",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "SessionPmidsRequest": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "action": {
+        "const": "pmids",
+        "title": "Action",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "query_filter": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 500,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Query Filter"
+      },
+      "search_index": {
+        "default": -1,
+        "maximum": 100000,
+        "minimum": -100000,
+        "title": "Search Index",
+        "type": "integer"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "action"
+    ],
+    "title": "SessionPmidsRequest",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "SessionReplaySearchRequest": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "action": {
+        "const": "replay_search",
+        "title": "Action",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "run_id": {
+        "maxLength": 512,
+        "minLength": 1,
+        "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,511}$",
+        "title": "Run Id",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "session_id": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 80,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,79}$",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Session Id"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "action",
+      "run_id"
+    ],
+    "title": "SessionReplaySearchRequest",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "SessionSearchRunRequest": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "action": {
+        "const": "search_run",
+        "title": "Action",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "run_id": {
+        "maxLength": 512,
+        "minLength": 1,
+        "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,511}$",
+        "title": "Run Id",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "session_id": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 80,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,79}$",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Session Id"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "action",
+      "run_id"
+    ],
+    "title": "SessionSearchRunRequest",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "SessionSearchRunsRequest": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "action": {
+        "const": "search_runs",
+        "title": "Action",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "limit": {
+        "default": 10,
+        "maximum": 100,
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "title": "Limit",
+        "type": "integer"
+      },
+      "session_id": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 80,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{0,79}$",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Session Id"
+      },
+      "status": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "enum": [
+              "started",
+              "planned",
+              "running",
+              "completed",
+              "partial",
+              "failed",
+              "cancelled",
+              "interrupted"
+            ],
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Status"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "action"
+    ],
+    "title": "SessionSearchRunsRequest",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "SessionSummaryRequest": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "action": {
+        "const": "summary",
+        "title": "Action",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "history_limit": {
+        "default": 10,
+        "maximum": 100,
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "title": "History Limit",
+        "type": "integer"
+      },
+      "include_history": {
+        "default": false,
+        "title": "Include History",
+        "type": "boolean"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "action"
+    ],
+    "title": "SessionSummaryRequest",
+    "type": "object"
+  }
+}

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

removedInput schema / properties / action

Removed value: -{
-  "default": "summary",
-  "title": "Action",
-  "type": "string"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / artifact_file

Removed value: -{
-  "default": "",
-  "title": "Artifact File",
-  "type": "string"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / artifact_id

Removed value: -{
-  "default": "",
-  "title": "Artifact Id",
-  "type": "string"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / artifact_kind

Removed value: -{
-  "default": "",
-  "title": "Artifact Kind",
-  "type": "string"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / artifact_tool

Removed value: -{
-  "default": "",
-  "title": "Artifact Tool",
-  "type": "string"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / artifact_uri

Removed value: -{
-  "default": "",
-  "title": "Artifact Uri",
-  "type": "string"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / event_limit

Removed value: -{
-  "default": 50,
-  "title": "Event Limit",
-  "type": "integer"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / history_limit

Removed value: -{
-  "default": 10,
-  "title": "History Limit",
-  "type": "integer"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / include_history

Removed value: -{
-  "default": false,
-  "title": "Include History",
-  "type": "boolean"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / include_local_paths

Removed value: -{
-  "default": false,
-  "title": "Include Local Paths",
-  "type": "boolean"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / max_chars

Removed value: -{
-  "default": 200000,
-  "title": "Max Chars",
-  "type": "integer"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / offset

Removed value: -{
-  "default": 0,
-  "title": "Offset",
-  "type": "integer"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / pmid

Removed value: -{
-  "default": "",
-  "title": "Pmid",
-  "type": "string"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / query_filter

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Query Filter"
-}

addedInput schema / properties / request

Added value: +{
+  "discriminator": {
+    "mapping": {
+      "article": "#/$defs/SessionArticleRequest",
+      "artifact": "#/$defs/SessionArtifactRequest",
+      "list_artifacts": "#/$defs/SessionListArtifactsRequest",
+      "log": "#/$defs/SessionLogRequest",
+      "pmids": "#/$defs/SessionPmidsRequest",
+      "replay_search": "#/$defs/SessionReplaySearchRequest",
+      "search_run": "#/$defs/SessionSearchRunRequest",
+      "search_runs": "#/$defs/SessionSearchRunsRequest",
+      "summary": "#/$defs/SessionSummaryRequest"
+    },
+    "propertyName": "action"
+  },
+  "oneOf": [
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/SessionPmidsRequest"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/SessionArticleRequest"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/SessionSummaryRequest"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/SessionLogRequest"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/SessionListArtifactsRequest"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/SessionArtifactRequest"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/SessionSearchRunsRequest"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/SessionSearchRunRequest"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/SessionReplaySearchRequest"
+    }
+  ],
+  "title": "Request"
+}

removedInput schema / properties / search_index

Removed value: -{
-  "default": -1,
-  "title": "Search Index",
-  "type": "integer"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / session_id

Removed value: -{
-  "default": "",
-  "title": "Session Id",
-  "type": "string"
-}

addedInput schema / required
```
Added value: +[
+  "request"
+]
```

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -{
-  "properties": {
-    "result": {
-      "title": "Result",
-      "type": "string"
-    }
-  },
-  "required": [
-    "result"
-  ],
-  "title": "read_sessionOutput",
-  "type": "object"
-}New value: +null

First observedv0.5.16Jun 19, 2026

TDQS

A3.8/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds non-obvious behavior the annotations do not: each action accepts only its own fields, local paths are redacted unless include_local_paths is set AND the server setting permits, and large artifacts require locator plus artifact_file with offset/max_chars paging.

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?

Front-loaded with a one-line purpose, then a scannable action list, then a short paragraph of cross-cutting behavior; nearly every sentence carries information. The only waste is the omission of 'log' rather than an excess of text — nothing present is 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 no output schema, the description correctly compensates by describing each action's return payload (PMIDs, cached article, summary plus optional history, artifact manifests, run envelopes, credential-free replay args). The main completeness gap is the unlisted 'log' action and the absence of any note on error/not-found or missing-session behavior.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, but the schema is unusually self-documenting (patterns, enums, discriminator mapping, defaults), so the burden is light. The description still adds meaning beyond the schema by explaining the two locator kinds, the artifact_file/offset/max_chars paging contract, and the dual gating on include_local_paths, though it does not explain defaults such as search_index=-1 or session_id=null.

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 and resource ('Read session data') and then enumerates eight actions with their return payloads, so an agent can tell this apart from read_research_chronicle, fetch_article_details, and unified_search. The enumeration is incomplete, however: the schema defines nine discriminated requests but the 'log' action is omitted from the list, so an agent reading only the description would not know that action exists.

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?

It gives real conditional guidance for the artifact path ('select an artifact_id or artifact_uri locator and use artifact_file plus offset/max_chars to page through large files') and warns that local paths are redacted unless two conditions are met. However, it never says when to choose read_session over its many siblings, nor does it state when an action is inappropriate; per-action field exclusivity is noted but not framed as selection guidance.

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

Deploy Server

read_session

Instructions

Input Schema

Schema Changelog

TDQS

Other Tools