Promptles
Clarity

Pin the MCP Tool

Name the MCP tool by id and list its arguments — don't say 'check the system'.

MCP servers expose tools by id — `linear__list_issues`, `github__get_pull_request`, `postgres__query`. The tool id is what the agent matches on; vague phrasing like 'check Linear' or 'look it up in GitHub' invites guesswork: the agent calls the wrong tool, falls back to a web fetch, or invents data altogether. Name the exact tool you want, list the arguments you want passed, and the call becomes deterministic.

Where you'll practice this

2 Promptles scenarios teach this principle directly. Each one drops you into a real engineering ticket and asks you to write the prompt you'd send to Claude Code.

  • Pin the Tool

    Your team has a Linear MCP server connected to the workspace. It exposes three tools: `linear__list_issues` (filter by team, project, priority, state), `linear__get_issue` (fetch one by id), and `linear__update_issue` (set state, assignee, labels). You want to know how many P0…

  • Name the Tool and the Filters

    A Linear MCP server is connected to your workspace. It exposes three tools: `linear_list_issues` (filter by team, project, priority, state, cycle), `linear_get_issue` (fetch one by id), and `linear_update_issue` (change state, assignee, labels). You want one number: how many…

Other principles in Clarity