Sdl MCP Agent Workflow

SDL-MCP Agent Workflow

Use SDL-MCP as the repository boundary.

When a client bridge returns the raw MCP result, prefer structuredContent; use text content only as a fallback for older servers. Do not emit both or return the whole MCP response envelope to the agent.

Omit detail and includeDiagnostics by default at workflow and step level. Use detail: "full" only for specific fields missing from compact output; enable includeDiagnostics: true only to investigate operational data, then remove it after that probe. For command evidence, select outputMode (minimal for success/failure, summary for captured command output, digest for noisy checks) or follow the returned output continuation; do not enable diagnostics to reveal stdout.

1. Start with repo.status.
2. Use sdl.context for task-shaped explain, debug, review, and implement work. Its request is flat and requires budget.maxTokens; never send options, contextMode, or answerFirst.
3. Use sdl.retrieve for one card, slice, skeleton, hot path, or justified code window. When structured retrieval is unavailable, use a targeted, bounded sdl.file { op: "read" } fallback.
4. Use sdl.workflow for runtime execution, transforms, dependent calls, and batch mutations. Persist command output and query only needed failure lines. runtimeExecute executes repository tooling. Permitted uses include build, test, lint, compiler, named scripts, and targeted edit scripts. Do not use it to inspect, search, or print repository files. Use sdl.context or sdl.retrieve for indexed source and sdl.file with op="read" for other files. Do not guess runtimeQueryOutput arguments; replay a returned action unchanged or call focused sdl.manual for runtime.queryOutput first.
5. Read non-indexed files through sdl.file; use the same targeted, bounded read only when structured retrieval is unavailable for indexed source. Its targeted write operation can update one indexed file with live reconciliation; prefer symbol or search-edit preview/apply operations when they can anchor the change.
6. Keep responseMode: "auto" for potentially large results. When a result returns a canonical response.get continuation (nextAction or action) for sdl.retrieve with op: "responseGet", replay its returned action and arguments unchanged; do not reconstruct it. Outer repoId owns trusted dispatch, and detail/includeDiagnostics stay outer sdl.retrieve controls. Nested args contains only artifact view and paging fields; nested repoId is invalid. Use workflow responseGet only when direct sdl.retrieve is unavailable or an existing multi-step workflow needs it.
7. Reuse refs and ETags. Set refsMode: "off" only for complete or byte-stable output.
8. Never call index.refresh, directly, through sdl.workflow, or via sdl-mcp index, without explicit user approval in the current turn. Dirty semantic flags, graph verification, parser-state/provenance warnings, and refresh recommendations are diagnostics, not approval. Do not wait for semantic freshness or verification unless the task requires latest-revision graph proof. Use an SDL file-based edit fallback after provenance failures.
9. Call usage statistics only when the user asks for token savings or telemetry.

Use tool recipes for exact v2 request shapes.