tool-restraint

name	tool-restraint
description	Don't over-equip an agent with tools/MCP servers. More tools = more ways to fail and a higher cognitive load. Use when wiring tools or an agent underperforms.
when_to_use	adding MCP servers, an agent with many tools, "give it access to everything"

Tool Restraint

Loading an agent with 14 MCP servers "just in case" makes it slower and dumber, not more capable — tool-use agents hit sharp capability cliffs as cognitive load rises.

• Enable only the servers the current work actually uses. Remove the rest.
• Prefer official servers for credentialed tools; never install five speculatively.
• Each tool's description eats context on every turn — fewer, sharper tools beat a junk drawer.
• Before adding a write-scoped server, add a hook that logs every call. If the agent picks the wrong tool or thrashes, the fix is usually fewer tools with clearer descriptions, not a smarter model.