Repository navigation
[Safe Outputs Conformance] MCE-001: add_comment tool description omits required CONSTRAINTS/IMPORTANT disclosure keyword #70806
Description
Conformance Check Failure
Check ID: MCE-001
Severity: MEDIUM
Category: Specification / Usability
Problem Description
Section 8.3 MCE2 requires that any tool whose invocation is subject to enforced constraints MUST disclose those constraints in its description using a clearly flagged marker (e.g. a CONSTRAINTS section or an IMPORTANT: callout), so an agent reading only the tool description understands enforcement will occur. The add_comment tool's description in pkg/workflow/js/safe_outputs_tools.json (line 531) already lists its numeric limits (524288 chars, 10 mentions, configured max-links, 65536-char published comment) but never uses the required CONSTRAINTS/IMPORTANT disclosure keyword that the checker (and the spec) expect.
Affected Components
-
Files:
-
pkg/workflow/js/safe_outputs_tools.json(add_commenttool description, line 531)
-
<b>🔍 Current vs Expected Behavior</b>
Current Behavior
Current add_comment description:
"WRITE-ONCE: do NOT probe this tool with empty or placeholder arguments. If not ready to post a real comment, call noop. Adds a comment to an existing GitHub issue, pull request, or discussion; use create_issue, create_discussion, or create_pull_request for new items. Input is limited to 524288 characters, 10 mentions, and configured max-links URL occurrences (default: 50). Oversized agent content is automatically replaced by notices to fit the complete 65536-character published comment. Markers and footers are preserved in full; publication fails if protected content alone cannot fit. Generated footer links do not count toward max-links. Discussion comments require safe-outputs.add-comment.discussions: true."
Other tool descriptions in the same file (e.g. update_issue, push_to_pull_request_branch) use an explicit IMPORTANT: callout to flag enforced/behavioral constraints; add_comment does not, even though it has more enforced limits than most tools.
Expected Behavior
The add_comment description should include an explicit CONSTRAINTS: or IMPORTANT: marker ahead of (or wrapping) its limits list, e.g.: "IMPORTANT constraints: input is limited to ...", so the enforcement is unambiguous to a reading agent and to the MCE-001 checker.
Remediation Steps
This task can be assigned to a Copilot coding agent with the following steps:
- Edit the
add_commenttool description inpkg/workflow/js/safe_outputs_tools.json(line 531) to prefix the limits sentence with an explicitIMPORTANT:orCONSTRAINTS:marker, keeping the existing 65536-char, 10-mention, and max-links (default 50) figures intact so the other MCE-001 sub-checks keep passing. - Check whether this tool description is generated/templated elsewhere (search for the source template feeding
safe_outputs_tools.json, since this file may be regenerated frompkg/workflow/jssources) and apply the change at the source of truth, then regenerate. - Re-run the conformance script and confirm MCE-001 passes.
Verification
After remediation, verify the fix by running:
bash scripts/check-safe-outputs-conformance.shThe check MCE-001 should pass without errors.
References
- Safe Outputs Specification: docs/src/content/docs/specs/safe-outputs-specification.md
- Conformance Checker:
scripts/check-safe-outputs-conformance.sh(line 664) - Run: §39551296580
- Date: 2026-10-21
Generated by ✅ Daily Safe Outputs Conformance Checker · claude · agent · 81.4 AIC · ⌖ 0.668 AIC · ⊞ 5.4K · ◷
- expires on Oct 21, 2026, 9:53 PM UTC-08:00
Activity