bcquality/custom/knowledge/mcp/mcp-tool-invocation-must-be-documented.md

1.8 KiB

rule title category severity version
mcp-tool-invocation-must-be-documented MCP tool documentation must include the invocation model mcp warning 1

MCP tool documentation must include the invocation model

Rule

An MCP agent's documentation must describe the actual invocation model — including whether a tool call is direct or wrapped via a generic action tool with a parameter value.

Why

MCP servers may expose a small set of generic tools (e.g. bc_actions_invoke) that accept an action name as a parameter, rather than exposing each action as a named tool.

When documentation lists action names (e.g. List_Projects_PAG6102901) without specifying that they are parameter values — not direct tool names — agents attempt to call them directly, fail with InputValidationError, and spend time diagnosing a documentation gap rather than a code error.

What to document

For each MCP capability, the documentation must state:

  • The actual tool name to call (e.g. bc_actions_invoke)
  • How to discover available actions (e.g. bc_actions_search)
  • How to inspect an action's schema before invoking (e.g. bc_actions_describe)
  • The parameter that carries the action name (e.g. ActionName)

Example — correct

Tools are called via bc_actions_invoke with ActionName as the parameter. Use bc_actions_search to discover available actions. Use bc_actions_describe to inspect a specific action's schema before calling.

Example — incorrect

Call List_Projects_PAG6102901 to list active projects.

This implies a direct tool call. If List_Projects_PAG6102901 is an ActionName value passed to bc_actions_invoke, this documentation will cause agents to fail.

Applies to

Any CURABIS agent documentation that describes how to use an MCP tool.