Memtrace MCP server has 9 tools with basic definitions but significant quality gaps. All tools have names starting with action verbs (find, search, shortlist, symbol, cochange, history, rank, verify, list) and descriptions present. However, descriptions are extremely brief (10-50 chars), parameter documentation is minimal, and output schemas are completely absent from the visible source. Parameters have type information but lack detailed descriptions explaining format, range, or constraints. No error handling guidance is documented. The server appears designed for code indexing and retrieval tasks, but the implementation details are sparse, tool definitions appear to be inferred from Python client code rather than explicitly registered with full MCP schemas. This is a common pattern in research/benchmark projects but falls short of production-grade MCP servers.

• Document output schema for every tool. For 'search': specify that results are an array of objects with fields {file_path: string, line_start: integer, line_end: integer, code_snippet: string, relevance_score: float}. This enables LLMs to chain tools (e.g. extract file_path from search results, pass to shortlist).
• Expand parameter descriptions to 80-120 characters. Example: 'name' in find_symbol should be 'The symbol name to search for (case-sensitive, supports * wildcards for partial matches, e.g. "build_*" matches all symbols starting with build_)'.
• Differentiate find_symbol and symbol by operation scope. Rename one to clarify intent: either 'find_symbol_indexed' (searches entire indexed codebase) vs 'lookup_symbol_in_file' (searches single file), or add WHEN guidance: 'Use find_symbol for broad searches; use symbol when you already know the file.'
• Document error conditions explicitly. For cochange: 'If target file not found, returns error "File not indexed" with list of available files. If days > 3650, returns error "Historical window exceeds 10 years; provide days <= 3650". If limit < 1, defaults to 10.'
• Add pagination cursor or next_token to responses. For search with limit=20, if > 20 results available, return {results: [...20 items...], total_count: 847, next_cursor: "abc123"}. This enables agents to fetch additional pages without guessing.
• Standardize parameter names across tools. Use 'file_path' (not 'file', 'target', or 'file_path' inconsistently), 'time_window_days' (not 'days', 'from_time', 'window_days'), 'result_limit' (not 'limit'). This reduces LLM confusion and improves tool discoverability.