Feature Request: Tool Usage Metadata for MCP Servers

[prmichaelsen]

Problem Statement

When configuring MCP servers in Kilo Code, there's currently no way to provide metadata or guidance on how specific tools should be used by the AI. This limits the ability to customize tool behavior and provide usage preferences without modifying the MCP server implementation itself.

Use Case

As a developer who creates and configures MCP servers, I want to provide metadata and usage guidance for specific tools so that:

1. The AI can make more informed decisions about how to use each tool effectively
2. I can set default parameters and preferences without modifying server code
3. I can provide usage hints and best practices directly in the configuration
4. Tool behavior can be customized for different environments without code changes

For example, when using the Jira and Confluence tools, I might want to:

• Specify default fields to return for Jira searches
• Set preferred formatting options for Confluence content
• Provide usage hints about when to use certain parameters
• Configure environment-specific limits or thresholds

Benefits

Implementing this feature would:

• Improve AI tool usage: The AI would have more context about how tools should be used
• Reduce configuration friction: Less need to modify server code for customization
• Enable environment-specific behavior: Same server code could behave differently based on configuration
• Provide better guidance: Help the AI make better decisions about parameter values
• Standardize best practices: Encode recommended usage patterns directly in configuration
• Reduce repetitive prompting: Users won't need to repeatedly instruct the AI on how to use tools
• Ensure consistent behavior: Tools will be used consistently across different sessions
• Reduce dependency on local configs: Less reliance on other mechanisms like Kilo Code memory
• Enable team collaboration: Tool metadata configurations can be shared across teams

Potential Implementation Approaches

While I'm focused on the use case rather than implementation details, here are some approaches that could work:

1. Extended Configuration Schema: Add a toolMetadata section to the MCP server configuration that allows specifying metadata for each tool.

2. Tool Response Enhancement: Extend the MCP protocol to allow servers to include metadata in their tool descriptions when tools are discovered.

3. Environment Variable Convention: Establish a convention for environment variables that influence tool behavior (e.g., TOOL_NAME_DEFAULT_PARAM).

Example Usage

Here's how this feature might be used in practice:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jira-server": {
      "command": "...",
      "args": ["..."],
      "env": { "..." },
      "toolMetadata": {
        "jira_search": {
          "defaultParameters": {
            "fields": "summary,status,assignee,priority",
            "limit": 15
          },
          "usageGuidance": "Always include a project filter when possible to improve performance",
          "examples": [
            {
              "description": "Search for high priority bugs",
              "jql": "project = PROJ AND issuetype = Bug AND priority = High"
            }
          ]
        },
        "confluence_get_page": {
          "defaultParameters": {
            "convert_to_markdown": true,
            "include_metadata": true
          },
          "usageGuidance": "Prefer using page_id over title/space_key when possible"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Conclusion

Adding support for tool-specific metadata in MCP server configurations would significantly enhance the flexibility and usability of MCP tools. It would allow for better guidance to the AI without requiring code changes to the MCP server implementation, resulting in more effective and customized tool usage.

[bturcotte520]

Hi There!

In order to increase visibility of product requests, we're consolidating requests on similar features and topics. Therefore, I'm going to close this Discussion, and add your comments to this canonical one:

• MCP Feature Requests | Consolidated Discussion #3579

Thanks for understanding and being a valuable member of the Kilo Code Community!