@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@ description:
66---
77
88ToolHive lets you customize which tools from a running MCP server are available
9- to your AI clients. This gives you fine-grained control over the capabilities
10- exposed by each server, helping you create focused tool sets and reduce
11- complexity for your AI workflows.
9+ to your AI clients. You can enable or disable individual tools, and customize
10+ their names and descriptions. This gives you fine-grained control over the
11+ capabilities exposed by each server, helping you create focused tool sets and
12+ reduce complexity for your AI workflows.
1213
1314## Why customize tools?
1415
@@ -22,11 +23,18 @@ Customizing tools helps you:
2223 risk of unintended actions
2324- ** Create focused environments** : Tailor tool availability to specific tasks or
2425 projects
26+ - ** Clarify tool purpose** : Edit tool names and descriptions to make them more
27+ understandable for your specific use case
2528
26- :::info[ Registry servers only ]
29+ :::info[ Registry match required ]
2730
28- Tool customization is available only for MCP servers installed from the
29- registry. Custom local and remote MCP servers do not support this feature.
31+ Tool customization is only available for MCP servers that match an entry in the
32+ registry. This includes:
33+
34+ - Servers installed directly from the registry
35+ - Custom servers with a docker image or URL that matches a registry entry
36+
37+ Custom servers that don't match any registry entry do not support this feature.
3038
3139:::
3240
@@ -69,21 +77,59 @@ all tools on a server, as this would make the server non-functional.
6977
7078:::
7179
80+ ## Edit tool names and descriptions
81+
82+ You can customize the name and description of any tool to make it more suitable
83+ for your workflow. This is useful when the default tool name or description is
84+ unclear, or when you want to adapt the tool's presentation to your specific use
85+ case.
86+
87+ To edit a tool:
88+
89+ 1 . On the customize tools page, find the tool you want to edit.
90+ 1 . Click the ** Edit** button next to the tool.
91+ 1 . In the dialog that opens:
92+ - Edit the ** Tool** field to change the tool's name.
93+ - Edit the ** Description** field to customize the tool's description.
94+ - The original values are shown as helper text for reference.
95+ - Leave either field empty to reset it to the original value.
96+ 1 . Click ** Save** to apply your changes, or ** Cancel** to discard them.
97+
98+ Tools with custom names or descriptions are marked with a wrench icon to
99+ indicate they have custom overrides applied. The icon color indicates the
100+ status:
101+
102+ - ** Orange** : The tool has unsaved custom overrides
103+ - ** Primary color** : The tool has saved custom overrides
104+
105+ Your customizations are preserved even if you disable and re-enable the tool.
106+
107+ :::tip[ Unsaved custom overrides]
108+
109+ If you customize a tool's name or description but haven't clicked ** Apply** on
110+ the main page, a tooltip appears indicating "This tool has unsaved custom
111+ overrides". Click ** Apply** to save both your tool selection changes and custom
112+ overrides.
113+
114+ :::
115+
72116## How filtering works
73117
74118When you customize tools:
75119
76- 1 . You toggle tools on or off using the switches.
120+ 1 . You toggle tools on or off using the switches and optionally edit their names
121+ and descriptions.
771221 . After clicking ** Apply** , your settings are saved to the server
78123 configuration.
791241 . The ToolHive proxy intercepts tool discovery requests from AI clients.
80- 1 . Only enabled tools appear in the client's tool list.
125+ 1 . Only enabled tools appear in the client's tool list, with your custom names
126+ and descriptions if you've set them.
811271 . If a client attempts to call a disabled tool directly, the proxy blocks the
82128 request.
83129
84130This filtering happens transparently without requiring any changes to your AI
85- client configuration. Your clients automatically see the updated tool list the
86- next time they connect.
131+ client configuration. Your clients automatically see the updated tool list with
132+ customized names and descriptions the next time they connect.
87133
88134:::tip
89135
@@ -116,17 +162,38 @@ environments:
1161621 . For example, enable only read-only tools in a production group, while
117163 allowing all tools in a development group.
118164
165+ ### Clarify technical tool names
166+
167+ If an MCP server exposes tools with technical or unclear names:
168+
169+ 1 . Open ** Customize Tools** for the server.
170+ 1 . Click ** Edit** on tools with unclear names.
171+ 1 . Change the tool name to something more descriptive (for example, rename
172+ ` list_commits_test ` to ` List Commits ` ).
173+ 1 . Update the description to clarify what the tool does in your context.
174+ 1 . Click ** Save** , then ** Apply** .
175+ 1 . Your AI clients now see clearer, more intuitive tool names and descriptions.
176+
119177## Reset to defaults
120178
121- To restore all tools to their default enabled state:
179+ To restore all tools to their default enabled state and remove custom overrides:
180+
181+ ** To reset an individual tool's name or description:**
182+
183+ 1 . Click the ** Edit** button next to the tool.
184+ 1 . Clear the ** Tool** and ** Description** fields (leave them empty).
185+ 1 . Click ** Save** .
186+ 1 . Click ** Apply** to save your changes.
187+
188+ The tool name and description revert to their original values, and the wrench
189+ icon is removed.
190+
191+ ** To enable all tools:**
122192
1231931 . Open the customize tools page for the server.
1241941 . Manually enable all tools using the toggle switches.
1251951 . Click ** Apply** to save your changes.
126196
127- There is no automatic "reset all" button, but you can quickly enable all tools
128- by toggling each switch and clicking ** Apply** .
129-
130197## Related information
131198
132199- [ Run MCP servers] ( ./run-mcp-servers.mdx )
0 commit comments