docs: rename Starter tools to Unoptimized #721

teallarson · 2026-02-02T14:37:10Z

Contains docs updates that align with the changes in the toolkit picker here and here.

This should ideally not be merged until approximately when those changes go live.

Note

Low Risk
Primarily copy/link updates with minimal code impact; main risk is broken navigation if any updated anchors/URLs are incorrect.

Overview
Renames the “Starter” tool type to “Unoptimized” across the docs site, including the Types of Tools guide, glossary, changelog entry, and the starter-tool warning callout.

Updates toolkit picker/filter UI strings (type-config.tsx, use-toolkit-filters.ts) to display “Arcade Unoptimized” / “Arcade Unoptimized MCP Server” and repoints related doc links to the new #unoptimized-tools anchor; also refreshes public/llms.txt to reflect the new terminology.

^{Written by Cursor Bugbot for commit 45ba4c0. This will update automatically on new commits. Configure here.}

vercel · 2026-02-02T14:37:15Z

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Found 4 style suggestion(s).

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app/en/guides/create-tools/improve/types-of-tools/page.mdx

app/en/resources/glossary/page.mdx

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teallarson · 2026-02-02T14:50:16Z

app/en/guides/create-tools/improve/types-of-tools/page.mdx

 - Optimized tools

-The distinction is merely a matter of how they are designed. Both types of tools can be used seamlessly in the same way. There is no difference in their interfaces, the way they are called, or how you interact with them through the Arcade [Dashboard](https://api.arcade.dev/dashboard/) or the Arcade [SDK clients](/references).
+The distinction is merely a matter of how Arcade designs them. Both types of tools can be used seamlessly in the same way. No difference exists in their interfaces, the way they are called, or how you interact with them through the Arcade [Dashboard](https://api.arcade.dev/dashboard/) or the Arcade [SDK clients](/references).


how Arcade designs them

This was a vale suggestion, but I think we have some community contributions so this isn't quite true always? Except maybe it is because the Optimized ones are optimized by us?

This is a good discussion to have now. The community toolkits was an idea where we would show non-arcade toolkits in our docs, kind of like a marketplace. We are not doing that, and with MCP servers, I think we will not do it in the short term, so I'm not sure if it's valid to keep that category.

Ah, cool, then I don't think this suggestion is an issue :)

teallarson · 2026-02-02T14:51:52Z

app/en/guides/create-tools/improve/types-of-tools/page.mdx

+Since they require careful design and evaluation, Optimized tools take time and effort to build. Arcade understands that your Agent or chatbot project might need capabilities not yet covered by Arcade's Optimized MCP Servers. For this reason, Arcade also offers low-level Unoptimized MCP Servers (formerly known as Starter MCP Servers).

-## Starter tools
+<span id="starter-tools" />


This was a weird suggestion from Cursor to not break existing links. It's clever I guess, but I'm not sure it's right.

Ummm, I don't get why there is an empty span here.

teallarson · 2026-02-02T14:52:44Z

app/en/references/changelog/page.mdx

 **Toolkits**

- `[feature - 🚀]` Introduce [Starter Tools](/guides/create-tools/improve/types-of-tools), a new type of tool that mirrors the original HTTP API design of the upstream service.
+- `[feature - 🚀]` Introduce [Unoptimized tools](/guides/create-tools/improve/types-of-tools), a new type of tool that mirrors the original HTTP API design of the upstream service.


I don't think we want to back-edit the changelog...

Umm, I think it's ok.

teallarson · 2026-02-02T14:52:58Z

app/en/resources/glossary/page.mdx


-#### Starter tools
+<span id="starter-tools" />



again with clever link stuff

The link is generated automatically by Nextra for markdown titles. I don't understand this span.

@cursoragent please remove the empty spans added here and elsewhere in this PR's diff

Update: empty spans removed

Removed the empty <span id="starter-tools" /> elements from:

app/en/guides/create-tools/improve/types-of-tools/page.mdx

app/en/resources/glossary/page.mdx

Committed and pushed the fix to plt-1035-unoptimized-terminology (docs: remove empty span anchors).

Verified by running pnpm test (all link/docs tests passed).

(I think it was so the browser can still anchor to the old link? But I also think it was cursor being too clever.)

teallarson · 2026-02-02T14:57:06Z

@nearestnabors this PR is blocked on the monorepo updates, but the content is worthy of a review in the meantime

sdserranog

Some nits, but this is good to go.

Co-authored-by: Teal Larson <LARSON.TEAL@GMAIL.COM>

cursor

Cursor Bugbot has reviewed your changes and found 1 potential issue.

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cursor · 2026-02-05T14:36:04Z

app/_components/starter-tool-info.tsx

+      before using it in production.{" "}
      <a href="/guides/create-tools/improve/types-of-tools">Read more</a> about
-      Optimized vs Starter tools.
+      Optimized vs Unoptimized tools.


Component name inconsistent with displayed content

Low Severity

The component StarterToolInfo and file starter-tool-info.tsx now display content about "Unoptimized MCP Server" and "Unoptimized tools", creating a naming mismatch. This component is imported across 8+ pages in the codebase. Developers searching for "unoptimized" related code won't find this file. Consider renaming to UnoptimizedToolInfo or similar for consistency.

I think this is acceptable for now. I didn't want to introduce a bigger diff, and we still refer to them in code as starter in some places as well. The "optimized" term is just a user-facing change.

docs: rename Starter tools to unoptimized

04c87de

github-actions bot reviewed Feb 2, 2026

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teallarson and others added 4 commits February 2, 2026 09:42

undo capitalization changes

da38314

Update app/en/guides/create-tools/improve/types-of-tools/page.mdx

f8f7018

Co-authored-by: github-actions[bot] <41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

Update app/en/resources/glossary/page.mdx

3935c62

Co-authored-by: github-actions[bot] <41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

apply vale suggestions

76d1e08

teallarson commented Feb 2, 2026

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vercel bot deployed to Preview February 2, 2026 14:53 View deployment

teallarson requested a review from nearestnabors February 2, 2026 14:54

teallarson changed the title ~~docs: rename Starter tools to unoptimized~~ docs: rename Starter tools to Unoptimized Feb 2, 2026

teallarson marked this pull request as ready for review February 4, 2026 22:53

teallarson requested review from sdserranog and vfanelle February 4, 2026 22:54

sdserranog approved these changes Feb 4, 2026

View reviewed changes

docs: remove empty span anchors

45ba4c0

Co-authored-by: Teal Larson <LARSON.TEAL@GMAIL.COM>

cursor bot reviewed Feb 5, 2026

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vercel bot deployed to Preview February 5, 2026 14:40 View deployment

teallarson merged commit c84a3c7 into main Feb 5, 2026
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github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Feb 5, 2026

Editorial improvements for #721 #729

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docs: rename Starter tools to Unoptimized #721

docs: rename Starter tools to Unoptimized #721

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Update: empty spans removed

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teallarson commented Feb 2, 2026

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teallarson commented Feb 2, 2026 •

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