If MCP server sequential-thinking is available, use this tool to analyze complex problems through a flexible thinking process.
When to Use
Use sequential-thinking when:
- Breaking down complex problems into steps
- Planning and design with room for revision
- Analysis that might need course correction
- Problems where full scope might not be clear initially
- Problems that require a multi-step solution
- Tasks that need to maintain context over multiple steps
- Situations where irrelevant information needs to be filtered out
Key Features
- Flexible thinking process: You can adjust total_thoughts up or down as you progress
- Revision support: You can question or revise previous thoughts
- Continuation: You can add more thoughts even after reaching what seemed like the end
- Uncertainty expression: You can express uncertainty and explore alternative approaches
- Non-linear: Not every thought needs to build linearly - you can branch or backtrack
- Hypothesis-driven: Generates a solution hypothesis and verifies it
Parameters
thought: str # Your current thinking step
nextThoughtNeeded: (
bool # True if you need more thinking, even if at what seemed like the end
)
thoughtNumber: int # Current number in sequence (can go beyond initial total if needed)
totalThoughts: int # Current estimate of thoughts needed (can be adjusted up/down)
isRevision: bool # A boolean indicating if this thought revises previous thinking
revisesThought: (
int # If is_revision is true, which thought number is being reconsidered
)
branchFromThought: int # If branching, which thought number is the branching point
branchId: str # Identifier for the current branch (if any)
needsMoreThoughts: bool # If reaching end but realizing more thoughts needed
Workflow
- Start with initial estimate: Begin with an estimate of needed thoughts, but be ready to adjust
- Question and revise: Feel free to question or revise previous thoughts
- Don't hesitate to add thoughts: Add more thoughts if needed, even at "end"
- Express uncertainty: Express uncertainty when present
- Mark revisions clearly: Mark thoughts that revise previous thinking or branch into new paths
- Ignore irrelevant info: Ignore information that is irrelevant to current step
- Generate hypothesis: Generate a solution hypothesis when appropriate
- Verify hypothesis: Verify hypothesis based on the Chain of Thought steps
- Repeat until satisfied: Repeat the process until satisfied with a solution
- Provide final answer: Provide a single, ideally correct answer as final output
- Set nextThoughtNeeded to false: Only when truly done and a satisfactory answer is reached
Example Thought Progression
Thought 1: Analyzing the problem requirements...
Thought 2: Considering possible approaches...
Thought 3: Revising approach from Thought 2 due to X constraint...
Thought 4: Generating solution hypothesis...
Thought 5: Verifying hypothesis...
Best Practices
- Be systematic: Follow a structured thinking process
- Be adaptive: Allow yourself to revise course based on new information
- Be explicit: Clearly mark when you're revising or branching
- Be thorough: Don't skip verification steps
- Be concise: Each thought should be focused and specific