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MCP And Metadata

MCP is how provider sessions call AxiOwl tools. Metadata is how AxiOwl knows which provider session is calling.

Plain English Version​

When a provider replies, AxiOwl needs caller ID. The provider should not just say “I am Codebase review.” It should provide session identity that AxiOwl can map to a registry row.

Why Metadata Matters​

Without metadata, replies can be misrouted or falsely trusted.

Examples:

  • a stale chat uses an old name;
  • a CLI process starts from an old cwd;
  • two provider windows have similar titles;
  • a user manually types a display name that looks like a session id.

CLI Metadata Rule​

For CLI providers, environment-only session identity is not enough for final support. The provider must provide metadata through MCP or through a robust provider patch.

This rule prevents a caller-owned environment variable from pretending to be provider-owned identity.

Good Metadata​

Good metadata identifies:

  • provider brand;
  • provider surface;
  • provider session id;
  • host/session/window where applicable;
  • cwd when relevant for CLI;
  • node/local runtime identity when relevant.

Failure Mode​

When metadata is missing, AxiOwl should fail loudly instead of guessing.