diff --git a/docs/manifest.md b/docs/manifest.md
index 657b736..daee634 100644
--- a/docs/manifest.md
+++ b/docs/manifest.md
@@ -268,7 +268,16 @@ in the manifest, and that server advertises its own tools through the MCP
         "args": [],
         "cwd": "${pluginRoot}",
         "transport": "stdio",
-        "autoStart": true
+        "autoStart": true,
+        "tools": [
+          {
+            "name": "unity_get_scene",
+            "description": "Read the active Unity scene."
+          },
+          {
+            "name": "unity_run_tests"
+          }
+        ]
       }
     ]
   }
@@ -288,6 +297,11 @@ MCP server contribution rules:
 - A `command` that becomes absolute after `${pluginRoot}` or `${appDataDir}`
   substitution is allowed and is passed through as substituted.
 - `cwd` defaults to `${pluginRoot}` when omitted.
+- `tools` is optional static display metadata for IdeA's capability-assignment
+  UI. Each entry has an exact non-empty `name` and an optional non-empty
+  `description`; names must be unique within the server.
+- This metadata does not replace or cache MCP `tools/list`, and declaring a tool
+  here does not register it or prove that the running server exposes it.
 
 The tools an agent can call are assigned with the triplet
 `pluginId`/`serverId`/`toolName` in project plugin settings. `toolName` must
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5fde6fc..8f73668 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@
   ],
   "scripts": {
     "build": "tsc -p tsconfig.json",
+    "test:manifest": "npm run build && node scripts/check-manifest-tools.mjs",
     "build:hello-plugin": "tsc -p examples/hello-plugin/tsconfig.build.json",
     "package:hello-plugin": "npm run build && npm run build:hello-plugin && node scripts/package-hello-plugin.mjs",
     "typecheck:examples": "tsc -p examples/hello-plugin/tsconfig.json --noEmit",
-    "check": "npm run build && npm run typecheck:examples && npm run package:hello-plugin"
+    "check": "npm run test:manifest && npm run typecheck:examples && npm run package:hello-plugin"
   },
   "keywords": [
     "idea",
diff --git a/scripts/check-manifest-tools.mjs b/scripts/check-manifest-tools.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1ed4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-manifest-tools.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+
+import { validatePluginManifest } from "../dist/index.js";
+
+const base = {
+  ideaPluginManifestVersion: 1,
+  id: "dev.example.tools",
+  displayName: "Tools",
+  version: "1.0.0",
+  main: "dist/index.js",
+  trustLevel: "full",
+  capabilities: ["mcp"],
+  contributes: {
+    mcpServers: [
+      {
+        id: "server",
+        displayName: "Server",
+        command: "bin/server",
+        transport: "stdio"
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+};
+
+assert.equal(validatePluginManifest(base).success, true, "tools metadata remains optional");
+
+const withTools = structuredClone(base);
+withTools.contributes.mcpServers[0].tools = [
+  { name: "read_scene", description: "Read the active scene." },
+  { name: "run_tests" }
+];
+assert.equal(validatePluginManifest(withTools).success, true, "valid tools metadata is accepted");
+
+const duplicate = structuredClone(withTools);
+duplicate.contributes.mcpServers[0].tools.push({ name: "read_scene" });
+const duplicateResult = validatePluginManifest(duplicate);
+assert.equal(duplicateResult.success, false, "duplicate tool metadata is rejected");
+assert.ok(duplicateResult.errors.some((error) => error.includes("must be unique")));
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 3ae4698..4304a60 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ export type {
   IdeAPluginEngineConstraints,
   IdeAPluginLayoutContribution,
   IdeAPluginMcpServerContribution,
+  IdeAPluginMcpToolMetadata,
   IdeAPluginMenuItemContribution,
   IdeAPluginSkillContribution,
   IdeAPluginSkillKind,
diff --git a/src/manifest.ts b/src/manifest.ts
index d576ce5..06ce975 100644
--- a/src/manifest.ts
+++ b/src/manifest.ts
@@ -95,6 +95,15 @@ export interface IdeAPluginMcpServerContribution {
   transport: "stdio";
   autoStart?: boolean;
   allowAbsoluteCommand?: boolean;
+  /** Optional static UI metadata; runtime MCP tools/list remains authoritative. */
+  tools?: IdeAPluginMcpToolMetadata[];
+}
+
+export interface IdeAPluginMcpToolMetadata {
+  /** Exact tool name advertised by the MCP server. */
+  name: string;
+  /** Optional human-readable summary for capability-management UI. */
+  description?: string;
 }
 
 export type PluginManifestValidationResult =
@@ -269,6 +278,22 @@ function validateContributes(value: unknown, errors: string[]): void {
     optionalString(server, "cwd", errors, `contributes.mcpServers[${index}].cwd`);
     optionalBoolean(server, "autoStart", errors, `contributes.mcpServers[${index}].autoStart`);
     optionalBoolean(server, "allowAbsoluteCommand", errors, `contributes.mcpServers[${index}].allowAbsoluteCommand`);
+    validateArray(server, "tools", errors, (tool, toolIndex) => {
+      requireString(tool, "name", errors, `contributes.mcpServers[${index}].tools[${toolIndex}].name`);
+      if (tool.description !== undefined) {
+        requireString(tool, "description", errors, `contributes.mcpServers[${index}].tools[${toolIndex}].description`);
+      }
+    });
+    if (Array.isArray(server.tools)) {
+      const names = new Set<string>();
+      server.tools.forEach((tool, toolIndex) => {
+        if (!isRecord(tool) || typeof tool.name !== "string" || tool.name.trim() === "") return;
+        if (names.has(tool.name)) {
+          errors.push(`contributes.mcpServers[${index}].tools[${toolIndex}].name must be unique within the server`);
+        }
+        names.add(tool.name);
+      });
+    }
   });
 }