Skip to main content
📸 Tools management interface screenshot placeholder

What are Tools?

In MCP, tools are functions that:
  • Execute operations: Perform specific tasks like file operations, API calls, or calculations
  • Accept parameters: Use JSON Schema to define input requirements
  • Return structured results: Provide text or binary content back to the LLM
  • Enable real-world actions: Allow LLMs to interact with external systems
Tools are discovered through tools/list requests and invoked via tools/call requests.

Tool Categories

Web & API

HTTP requests, web scraping, API integrations

File System

File operations, search, content analysis

Data Processing

Text processing, format conversion, analysis

Development

Code generation, testing, documentation

Managing Tools

Enable/Disable Tools

  • Toggle individual tools on or off
  • Tools are grouped by their parent server
  • Disabled tools won’t appear in client applications
  • Changes take effect immediately

Tool Priorities

When multiple tools have similar functions:
  • Set priority levels (High, Normal, Low)
  • Higher priority tools are suggested first
  • Helps resolve conflicts between similar capabilities

Tool Configuration

Some tools accept configuration parameters:
  • Rate limits: Requests per minute/hour
  • Timeouts: Maximum execution time
  • Default parameters: Pre-filled values for common use cases

Tool Conflicts

When tools from different servers provide similar functionality:
  1. Automatic resolution: MCPMate suggests the highest-priority tool
  2. Manual override: You can specify which tool to use
  3. Conflict indicators: Visual warnings when conflicts exist
📸 Tool conflict resolution interface screenshot placeholder

Custom Tools

Advanced users can:
  • Create custom tool wrappers
  • Combine multiple tools into workflows
  • Set up tool aliases for easier access
  • Configure tool-specific authentication

Monitoring Tool Usage

Track tool performance:
  • Execution count: How often each tool is used
  • Success rate: Percentage of successful executions
  • Average response time: Performance metrics
  • Error logs: Failed execution details