Clarify resource fallback logic: for clients without resource support (like smolagents)

Update comments and logic to reflect the real use case: resource fallback tools
are for clients that don't support resources at all (like smolagents), not for
buggy resource implementations.

Changes:
- Add 'claude' to allowlist (Claude Desktop now supports resources properly)
- Update comments to clarify this is for clients without resource support
- Change from "may not support properly" to "don't support resources"
- Document smolagents as the primary use case

Known clients WITH resource support (skip fallback tools):
- inspector
- vscode
- claude (Claude Desktop/Code)

Clients WITHOUT resource support (get fallback tools):
- smolagents
- unknown/new clients (safer default)

All tests passing (536 tests).

Author: mattpodwysocki

src/index.ts

@@ -253,21 +253,24 @@ async function main() {
     });
   }
 
-  // Register resource fallback tools for clients that may not support resources properly
-  // Note: Resources are a core MCP feature, but not all clients support them perfectly.
+  // Register resource fallback tools for clients that don't support resources
+  // Note: Resources are a core MCP feature, but some clients (like smolagents) don't support them.
+  // These fallback tools provide the same content as resources but via tool calls instead.
   // We use an allowlist approach: only skip fallback tools for clients we KNOW support resources.
   // This is safer than blocklisting - unknown clients get fallback tools by default.
   const clientVersion = server.server.getClientVersion();
   const clientName = clientVersion?.name?.toLowerCase() || '';
 
-  // Known clients with proper resource support (can skip fallback tools)
-  const supportsResourcesProperly =
-    clientName.includes('inspector') || clientName.includes('vscode');
+  // Known clients with resource support (can skip fallback tools)
+  const supportsResources =
+    clientName.includes('inspector') ||
+    clientName.includes('vscode') ||
+    clientName.includes('claude');
 
-  if (!supportsResourcesProperly && enabledResourceFallbackTools.length > 0) {
+  if (!supportsResources && enabledResourceFallbackTools.length > 0) {
     server.server.sendLoggingMessage({
       level: 'info',
-      data: `Client "${clientVersion?.name}" may need resource fallback tools. Registering ${enabledResourceFallbackTools.length} resource fallback tools`
+      data: `Client "${clientVersion?.name}" does not support resources. Registering ${enabledResourceFallbackTools.length} resource fallback tools`
     });
 
     enabledResourceFallbackTools.forEach((tool) => {
@@ -277,7 +280,7 @@ async function main() {
   } else if (enabledResourceFallbackTools.length > 0) {
     server.server.sendLoggingMessage({
       level: 'debug',
-      data: `Client "${clientVersion?.name}" supports resources properly. Skipping ${enabledResourceFallbackTools.length} resource fallback tools`
+      data: `Client "${clientVersion?.name}" supports resources. Skipping ${enabledResourceFallbackTools.length} resource fallback tools`
     });
   }
 

src/tools/toolRegistry.ts

@@ -69,12 +69,13 @@ export const CORE_TOOLS = [
 export const ELICITATION_TOOLS = [] as const;
 
 /**
- * Tools that serve as bridges/workarounds for missing resource support
- * These tools are only registered if client does NOT support resources properly
+ * Tools that serve as bridges for clients without resource support
+ * These tools are only registered if client does NOT support resources
  *
- * Context: These tools exist as workarounds for clients (like Claude Desktop) that
- * can list resources but don't automatically fetch them. Clients that properly
- * support resources don't need these bridge tools.
+ * Context: Some MCP clients (like smolagents) don't support resources at all.
+ * These tools provide the same content as resources but via tool calls instead,
+ * allowing these clients to access reference data and documentation.
+ * Clients that support resources (Claude Desktop, VS Code, Inspector) don't need these.
  *
  * - GetReferenceTool: Provides access to reference resources (style layers, Streets v8 fields, token scopes, layer type mapping)
  * - GetMapboxDocSourceTool: Provides access to Mapbox documentation (resource://mapbox-documentation)