MCP search does not expose the --content filter documented in generated AGENTS.md

[markjfisher]

Summary

Semble 0.5.4 generates AGENTS.md instructions telling agents to use --content docs, --content config, or --content all with mcp__semble__search.

However, the MCP tool schema exposes only:

• query
• repo
• top_k
• max_snippet_lines

There is no content argument.

Adding --content docs to the query string does not apply a filter. It is treated as ordinary query text, and the search still defaults to code.

Expected behaviour

The MCP tool should expose a content parameter equivalent to the CLI option, for example:

{
  "repo": "/path/to/repository",
  "query": "packet-native channel framing",
  "content": "docs"
}

Alternatively, the generated AGENTS.md should make clear that content filtering is available only through the CLI.

Actual behaviour

A documentation query through MCP returns source-code results because the content type cannot be selected.

The equivalent CLI command works correctly:

semble search \
    "packet-native channels bypass SLIP while RS-232 retains stream framing" \
    . \
    --content docs

It returns the expected Markdown documentation.

Environment

• Semble: 0.5.4
• Integration: MCP
• Platform: Linux
• Generated MCP server command:
  uvx --from "semble[mcp]==0.5.4" semble

Additional observation

After restarting stale MCP server processes, search performance was approximately:

• cold MCP query: 12.5 seconds
• identical warm query: 3.7 seconds

[Pringled]

Hi @markjfisher, thanks for creating this issue, this is a good catch, we'll add this in our next release. Note that you can use --content with MCP, but it's a startup instruction, not a query instruction, which is indeed nicer. Will let you know once it's there

[Pringled]

Hey @markjfisher, this is now released with #247. Let us know if you encounter any issues!

[markjfisher]

Excellent. I'll pull this down and test it. Thanks!