McpTool

Represents an MCP (Model Context Protocol) tool that can be executed by AI models.

Definition

Assembly: Microsoft.OData.Mcp.Core.dll

Namespace: Microsoft.OData.Mcp.Core.Legacy

Inheritance: System.Object

Syntax

Microsoft.OData.Mcp.Core.Legacy.McpTool

Summary

Represents an MCP (Model Context Protocol) tool that can be executed by AI models.

Remarks

MCP tools define the interface between AI models and external systems, providing structured input/output schemas and execution logic for specific operations.

Constructors

.ctor

Syntax

public McpTool()

.ctor Inherited

Inherited from object

Syntax

public Object()

Properties

Categories

Gets or sets the categories or tags associated with the tool.

Syntax

public System.Collections.Generic.HashSet<string> Categories { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: System.Collections.Generic.HashSet<string> A collection of category names or tags.

Remarks

Categories help organize tools and make them easier to discover. Common categories might include “data”, “utility”, “integration”, etc.

Description

Gets or sets the human-readable description of what the tool does.

Syntax

public string Description { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: string A detailed description of the tool’s purpose and functionality.

Remarks

This description helps AI models understand when and how to use the tool. It should clearly explain the tool’s purpose, expected inputs, and outcomes.

EstimatedExecutionTimeMs

Gets or sets the estimated execution time for the tool in milliseconds.

Syntax

public System.Nullable<int> EstimatedExecutionTimeMs { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: System.Nullable<int> The estimated execution time, or null if unknown.

Remarks

This hint helps AI models make informed decisions about tool selection based on performance requirements and timeout constraints.

Examples

Gets or sets examples of how to use the tool.

Syntax

public System.Collections.Generic.List<Microsoft.OData.Mcp.Core.Tools.McpToolExample> Examples { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: System.Collections.Generic.List<Microsoft.OData.Mcp.Core.Tools.McpToolExample> A collection of usage examples for the tool.

Remarks

Examples help AI models understand the proper usage patterns and expected input/output formats for the tool.

InputSchema

Gets or sets the JSON schema that defines the structure of the tool’s input parameters.

Syntax

public object InputSchema { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: object? A JSON schema object describing the expected input format.

Remarks

The input schema defines the parameters that must be provided when invoking the tool. It includes type information, validation rules, descriptions, and examples.

IsEnabled

Gets or sets a value indicating whether the tool is currently enabled and available for use.

Syntax

public bool IsEnabled { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: bool true if the tool is enabled; otherwise, false.

Remarks

Disabled tools are not presented to AI models for execution. This can be useful for temporarily disabling problematic tools or implementing feature flags.

MaxConcurrentExecutions

Gets or sets the maximum number of concurrent executions allowed for this tool.

Syntax

public System.Nullable<int> MaxConcurrentExecutions { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: System.Nullable<int> The maximum concurrency limit, or null for no limit.

Remarks

Concurrency limits help protect backend resources and ensure system stability when multiple AI models are using the same tools simultaneously.

Metadata

Gets or sets additional metadata about the tool.

Syntax

public System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<string, object> Metadata { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<string, object> A dictionary of custom metadata properties.

Remarks

Metadata can include information about the tool’s capabilities, limitations, performance characteristics, or other implementation-specific details.

Name

Gets or sets the unique name of the tool.

Syntax

public string Name { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: string The tool name, which must be unique within the MCP server context.

Remarks

Tool names should be descriptive and follow consistent naming conventions. They are used by AI models to identify and invoke specific operations.

Version

Gets or sets the version of the tool.

Syntax

public string Version { get; set; }

Property Value

Type: string The version string for the tool.

Remarks

Tool versions help track changes and compatibility. They can be used to implement versioning strategies for tool evolution.

Methods

Clone

Creates a deep copy of the MCP tool.

Syntax

public Microsoft.OData.Mcp.Core.Legacy.McpTool Clone()

Returns

Type: Microsoft.OData.Mcp.Core.Legacy.McpTool A new McpTool instance with copied values.

Equals Inherited Virtual

Inherited from object

Syntax

public virtual bool Equals(object obj)

Parameters

Name	Type	Description
obj	object?	-

Returns

Type: bool

Equals Inherited

Inherited from object

Syntax

public static bool Equals(object objA, object objB)

Parameters

Name	Type	Description
objA	object?	-
objB	object?	-

Returns

Type: bool

GetHashCode Inherited Virtual

Inherited from object

Syntax

public virtual int GetHashCode()

Returns

Type: int

GetType Inherited

Inherited from object

Syntax

public System.Type GetType()

Returns

Type: System.Type

MemberwiseClone Inherited

Inherited from object

Syntax

protected internal object MemberwiseClone()

Returns

Type: object

ReferenceEquals Inherited

Inherited from object

Syntax

public static bool ReferenceEquals(object objA, object objB)

Parameters

Name	Type	Description
objA	object?	-
objB	object?	-

Returns

Type: bool

ToString Override

Returns a string representation of the tool.

Syntax

public override string ToString()

Returns

Type: string A string containing the tool’s name and description.

ToString Inherited Virtual

Inherited from object

Syntax

public virtual string ToString()

Returns

Type: string?

Validate

Validates the tool definition for completeness and correctness.

Syntax

public System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<string> Validate()

Returns

Type: System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<string> A collection of validation error messages, or empty if valid.