Handling of optional output fields in limactl-mcp

[jandubois]

When looking at the output schema, I find that all optional output fields (except strings) are defined as pointers. Looking at the .outputSchema property for the run_shell_command tool:

{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "stdout",
    "stderr"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "error": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Any error message reported by the subprocess."
    },
    "exit_code": {
      "type": [
        "null",
        "integer"
      ],
      "description": "Exit code of the command."
    },
    "stderr": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Output from the standard error stream."
    },
    "stdout": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Output from the standard output stream."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}

exit_code has a type of null, or integer, but that is kind of redundant because it is not a required output fields.

But error is not a required output field either, and it is just string, and not null, or string, which feels inconsistent.

But ignoring this, why is exit_code not a required output value? Does the tool ever return before the shell command exits? How can you not have an output value?

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I think the description of error is also confusing, as it is not an error reported by the subprocess, but an error reported by the MCP because running the subprocess failed.