# Code Review — Step 1: Helpers + tests

## Verdict

APPROVE

## Findings

No blocking findings.

The new `DecodeStrict[T]` helper preserves the intended Step 1 semantics: empty/whitespace input returns the zero value, non-object input is rejected, unknown fields are disallowed, decode failures are wrapped with the stable `decoding arguments:` prefix, and trailing JSON is rejected. `TextResult` matches the current ignored-marshal-error construction pattern for JSON-marshalable shaped values.

## Verification

- Reviewed the full diff from `6509f5d9773c26f52c1027eefa013709a2ca9ad2..HEAD` and the changed helper/test files.
- `go test ./internal/tools` passes.
- `make lint` passes.
- `go test ./...` hit a transient failure in `internal/mcp` (`TestServeStreamableHTTPInitializesClient` server did not stop); rerunning that specific test with `-count=1` passed. This appears unrelated to the Step 1 helper changes.

## Notes for Step 2

- Keep `TextResult` replacements limited to existing call sites that already ignore `json.Marshal` errors or where shaped output is JSON-marshalable by construction; leave checked-error encoding paths alone unless preserving their error behavior another way.
- Be careful with `DecodeStrict` on handlers whose current empty-input behavior is intentionally required-argument-specific; the helper returns a zero-value request for empty input by design.
