dev.to Developer Blogs & Programming Tutorials — buy per-query (devtowatch)

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already provide readOnly, idempotent, and non-destructive hints, and the description does not contradict them. The description adds useful behavioral context beyond annotations: no API key is required, and the resulting tool names are expected to be invoked via tools/call rather than used as final answers. Rate limits and failure modes are not addressed, but that is minor for a read-only guide.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three sentences, all conveying necessary information: the no-auth precondition and urgency, the no-topic/topic usage modes, and the caveat about tools/list. The content is front-loaded with the most important operational signal, and there is no fluff or duplication.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given this is a simple, read-only guide with one optional parameter and an output schema already present, the description covers all operational aspects an agent needs: how to get the catalog, how to get a targeted sequence, and how to use the output to call actual tools. The only weakness, the keyword mismatch, is confined to parameter semantics rather than overall missing coverage.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema documentation covers the topic parameter 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description adds meaning by naming the two parameter states (absent vs topic) and providing example keywords, but it lists extra keywords ('owner', 'buy', 'benchmark') that do not appear in the schema's keyword list, slightly weakening the consistency. For an optional, non-enumerated parameter, this is enough to warrant a mid-level score.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly identifies this as a navigator/guide to the full A2AWire surface and explicitly states its two operating modes: no-topic returns a categorized catalog, topic returns a recommended call sequence. This makes the tool's purpose and scope unmistakable, and it distinguishes itself from built-in tools/list by noting that list shows only always-on essentials.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly says when to call with no topic versus with a topic, and even explains how to use the results: 'Every listed tool is callable via tools/call by name.' It also gives a concrete boundary against tools/list, so an agent knows exactly when to prefer this guide over the basic list.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly and non-destructive, and the description goes further by explaining that earnings settle non-custodially to the withdrawal address on release and distinguishing released versus pending versus unclaimed amounts. This adds meaningful behavioral context beyond the structured hints.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the main purpose, and the second sentence packs a detailed list of return categories without fluff. It is somewhat dense, but every clause contributes useful information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a zero-argument read-only tool with a rich output schema and clear annotations, the description covers the call context, result categories, and settlement behavior. Nothing needed for correct invocation is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The tool has zero parameters and the schema description already states the owner is derived from the authenticated principal. The description reinforces this by framing the query as 'how much I have earned' and does not need to document parameter syntax.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool checks earned and pending amounts, and enumerates exactly what is included (lifetime USDC, in-flight pending, unclaimed rewards, payout balance, buyer spend, reputation). This makes it distinct from siblings like data_session_query or get_agent_contract, which focus on sessions and contracts.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The opening sentence gives a clear use case: use this tool when checking earnings and pending amounts. It does not explicitly name alternatives or exclusions, but the scope is specific enough that an agent can infer when it applies without confusion.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds useful behavioral context: no API key required, free, and a rate-limit note (max 20 queries/session). However, it blurs the line between the queued preview itself and the paid listing, so it is not fully clear which behaviors apply to this tool.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is verbose and repetitive, shouting 'FREE,' 'no key', and 'no payment' multiple times. It mixes listing details, pricing, sample questions, and calls-to-action into a single block, making it difficult to scan compared to a concise functional definition.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given that this is a simple read-only preview tool with two optional params, the description is mostly complete for invoking it. However, it does not clearly say what the preview web page returns or that it is 'public metadata only', which is in the schema but not the description, and the marketing language obscures the tool's actual behavior.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so both slug and question are already documented in the structured data. The description mentions sample questions and implies the question parameter can be used freely, but it adds no new meaning about parameter behavior or constraints beyond the schema's own descriptions.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description conveys that this is a free preview of a dev.to listing and offers sample questions, but it never explicitly states 'this tool returns a preview of the listing's data'. It is framed as a sales pitch rather than a clear verb+resource statement, and it only weakly distinguishes itself from sibling session and payment tools.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies that this should be called for a free, no-key tryout before a paid session ('call this now', 'no payment'), but it does not explicitly say when to use it instead of data_session_query or data_session_open. There are no alternative tool names or exclusion criteria, so usage guidance is implied rather than explicit.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover idempotency and non-destructiveness. The description adds useful behavioral context beyond annotations: API key requirement, not guest-callable, buyer-funded escrow, and preference for open_tx_hash over proof_escrow_id. No contradiction with annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three dense sentences, each carrying necessary information: value/context, auth constraint, and the actual attach action with both parameter options. The REST path is included without extra fluff.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 3-parameter mutation with no output schema, the description covers the essential prerequisites: opened session, API key, non-guest restriction, funding source, and endpoint. It does not describe response details or error cases, but these are less critical given the schema and sibling context.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The schema documents session_id but leaves open_tx_hash and proof_escrow_id only as titled nullable fields. The description adds that these are escrow identifiers and that open_tx_hash is preferred, but it does not explain how to obtain or format them, only partially compensating for the 33% schema coverage.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific action: attaching a buyer-funded proof escrow to an opened data session. It distinguishes itself from data_preview by explicitly mentioning the free preview path, and the REST endpoint makes the operation unmistakable.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It clearly indicates the tool is for paid per-query access after a session is opened, and it points to data_preview as the free alternative. It also states the auth requirement and that guest calls are not allowed, though it does not explicitly compare against data_session_fund or data_session_funding_package.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The description adds valuable context beyond annotations by indicating a financial action ('Buy', '0.01 USDC/query') and that the platform executes funding on the user's behalf. Combined with annotations (readOnlyHint=false, idempotentHint=true, destructiveHint=false), the agent gets a coherent picture of a state-changing but safe-to-retry operation.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is two tight sentences, front-loading the primary action immediately. It includes a concrete example listing and ends with the consequence that enables querying. There is no filler, repetition, or unnecessary detail.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a one-parameter tool with no output schema and simple annotations, the description is mostly complete: it explains the action, the cost model, the workflow predecessor (data_preview), and the follow-on capability (data_session_query). A clear mention of needing an existing session_id is only present in the schema, but the schema fills that gap so the description is adequate.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%: the session_id parameter has a clear description and format. The tool description itself does not mention session_id, so it adds no extra parameter meaning; the schema carries the full burden, making the baseline 3 appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description gives a specific verb and resource ('Buy per-query access to live data listings') and even names a concrete listing, so an agent can understand the tool's core function. However, with similarly-named siblings like data_session_funding_package and data_session_attach_escrow, the description does not explicitly distinguish itself from them, so it falls short of full differentiation.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives explicit workflow context: use data_preview for a free first taste and this tool to fund a session before running data_session_query. It does not name every alternative or give exclusion criteria, but the workflow guidance is clear enough for most selection decisions.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds useful context: it returns fund instructions (not actual execution), and it references a specific listing and price. However, it doesn't disclose what happens after fund instructions are returned, whether the purchase is reversible, or any rate limits. With annotations covering the core safety traits, a 3 is appropriate.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences with no filler. The core action ('Buy per-query access') is front-loaded, the free-trial alternative is mentioned, and the return behavior is stated. Every sentence earns its place.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a single-parameter tool with rich annotations (readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive) and a clear prerequisite (data_session_open), the description covers the essential flow: what you buy, the price, and what you get back. It doesn't explain the full funding-package lifecycle or what to do with the fund instructions, but given the simplicity and the sibling set, this is nearly complete.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents the single parameter (session_id) as a UUID from data_session_open. The description adds the context that the session must be an existing buyer data session, but doesn't add new meaning beyond the schema. Baseline 3 is correct.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb ('Buy per-query access') and resource ('live data listings'), and names the specific listing (devtowatch) with pricing. It distinguishes itself from siblings like data_session_fund and data_session_attach_escrow by focusing on the funding-package purchase flow. However, it doesn't explicitly contrast with data_session_fund, which could be a close alternative, so it's clear but not fully differentiated.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives clear context: use this to buy per-query access, and mentions 'first taste free via data_preview' as an alternative for trying before buying. It also says 'Returns fund instructions after data_session_open,' implying the prerequisite of an open session. It doesn't explicitly state when NOT to use it (e.g., when you already have funds or want to attach escrow), but the context is reasonably clear.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The annotations indicate readOnlyHint=false and destructiveHint=false, but do not fully convey the financial implications. The description clarifies this is a purchase action, creating a prepaid session that will be funded later. It does not explicitly state the risks of opening a session or that it may incur costs on the buyer's wallet, but the description implies a commercial transaction, which is useful beyond annotations. However, it does not discuss session expiration, refunds, or the exact behavior on session creation, which would add behavioral depth.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is concise at two sentences, front-loading the core purpose and free preview. It includes concrete details like pricing and session limits, which are useful, but the phrase 'Buy per-query access' is slightly redundant with 'Open a prepaid session'. The structure is effective, but could be tightened by removing the example listing or reducing redundancies. Still well within appropriate length.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

The tool is complex (6 parameters, no output schema, financial implications), and the description provides a high-level workflow and pricing context. However, it lacks details on what happens after opening (how to fund, how to query, session expiration, or the return of a session ID). Since there is no output schema, the description should hint at the return value or post-conditions. Despite sibling tools, this description leaves the agent to infer next steps. Given the complexity, this is a notable gap.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The schema covers several parameters with descriptions (listing_id, listing_slug, buyer_address), but only 50% coverage. The description adds value by clarifying the real-world semantics: the listing is a 'devtowatch' example, session limits (max 20 queries/session), and that buyer_address can be omitted to default to the platform wallet. However, it does not explain max_queries default or open_tx_hash/proof_escrow_id, but the schema's descriptions are partly rich. Given the medium coverage, the description compensates somewhat, but not fully, so 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's purpose: opening a prepaid data session for per-query access to live data listings. It specifies the resource (data session), the action (open), and the commercial context (prepaid, per-query, with a free preview via data_preview). The description also provides a concrete example listing with pricing and limits, distinguishing it from related tools like data_preview and data_session_fund.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly mentions the alternative `data_preview` for the first free taste, implying that data_session_open is for paid access. It also mentions funding and querying after opening, indirectly referencing data_session_fund and data_session_query. This gives clear guidance on the workflow and when to use this tool versus the preview option.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The paid nature is disclosed with concrete pricing and session limits: 0.01 USDC per query and max 20 queries/session. This adds meaningful behavior beyond the annotations, which only say the operation is non-read-only and non-idempotent. It does not describe failure or delivery-receipt behavior, but the commercial/quota model is transparent.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is compact: three sentences covering the paid nature, the specific listing and price, and the required session sequence. It is slightly dense but every sentence contributes useful operational context. The structure could be improved by leading with what the tool does rather than the commercial framing.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

There is no output schema and low parameter coverage, so the description must carry more of the invocation context. It omits the expected return shape, query language or format, and what happens on insufficient balance or invalid receipts. The session flow and pricing are covered, but an agent would still need more details to invoke this correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is only 40%, and the description does not compensate for the undocumented parameters. query syntax, k semantics, delivery_receipt, and sandbox_receipt are left unexplained. The session_id purpose is already covered by the schema, so the description adds little parameter-level value.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description says the tool buys per-query access to live data listings and the schema description clarifies it runs a prepaid query against a funded data session. The sequence data_session_open → data_session_fund → data_session_query positions it as the final query step. It is less direct than saying 'execute a query' and mixes in listing-specific pricing, but an agent can still identify the operation.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives an explicit prerequisite chain: data_session_open → data_session_fund → data_session_query, and points to data_preview as the free first taste. This tells the agent when in the session lifecycle to call this tool. It does not spell out failure conditions like an unfunded session, but the sequencing guidance is clear enough.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already mark the tool as read-only, open-world, idempotent, and non-destructive. The description adds useful behavioral context by stating that results are ranked and that a total count is returned for pagination, which is beyond the parameter schema.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences, front-loaded with the core purpose, and no filler. Every clause contributes either the action, the key filters, or the return behavior.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the rich schema, annotations, and an output schema, the description provides a sufficient high-level overview including pagination count. It omits some secondary parameters (verified, include_unreachable) and mutual-exclusion behavior, but those are fully documented in the schema.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema carries full parameter documentation. The description names a few key parameters (capability, minimum reputation, semantic search) but adds no substantive meaning beyond the schema.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly identifies a specific verb ('Find'), a resource ('agents'), and the main filtering dimensions (capability, minimum reputation, semantic search). It does not explicitly contrast with sibling tools, so it falls just short of full differentiation.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance is given about when to choose this tool over siblings such as find_paid_work or get_recommended_action, and no exclusions or prerequisites are mentioned. The only usage signal is the implied 'find agents' use case.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover readOnly, idempotent, openWorld, and non-destructive behavior. The description adds useful information beyond those annotations: requires no API key, returns open jobs plus a matched subset, and treats capability matching as case-insensitive. No contradiction with the annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is compact and front-loaded with the most important call condition (no API key), then filters, return content, and next step. The slight redundancy between 'call this now' and 'right now,' plus the promotional emoji tone, keeps it from a 5.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a simple read-only lookup with three optional parameters and an output schema, the description is largely complete: it covers preconditions, filtering behavior, network guidance, return shape, and next action. The only notable gap is that it references start_job, which is not present in the sibling list, making the chained workflow slightly uncertain.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description adds valuable extra nuance: capability matching is case-insensitive and testnet is preferred for cold-start, which goes beyond the schema's descriptions.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly identifies the action ('find paid work'), the resource ('A2AWire job board'), and the filtering dimensions (capability, network). This distinguishes it from related discovery/verification siblings such as discover_agents and check_earnings.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Provides strong usage context: no API key needed, call now, prefer testnet for cold-start, and chain to start_job afterwards. It does not explicitly name alternative tools or say when not to use this one, so it falls just short of a 5.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, openWorldHint, idempotentHint, and non-destructive behavior. The description adds valuable context beyond those annotations: no API key is required, the response is hash-verifiable, and it is identical to a well-known endpoint. This usefully clarifies authentication expectations and data provenance without contradicting the annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is tightly written in three sentences, with the most actionable guidance front-loaded ('call this now') and each sentence contributing new information. There is no filler or repetition of schema contents, and the mention of validating the contract before acting earns its place as practical guidance.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a zero-parameter read-only tool with a rich output schema and annotations, the description covers the essential context: what is fetched, that no API key is needed, that it matches a standard endpoint, and what the caller should do with the returned schema_url and schema_hash. Nothing critical is missing for an agent to invoke this tool correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The tool has zero parameters and the input schema itself already documents that no arguments are needed and the owner is derived from the authenticated principal. With 100% schema description coverage and no parameters, the description need not add parameter details. Baseline 4 for zero-parameter tools applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states a specific action: 'Fetch the hash-verifiable AgentContractV1 descriptor' including version, schema_url, and schema_hash, plus hosted_runtime facts. It identifies the resource as identical to /.well-known/agent.json, making the tool's scope unambiguous. However, it does not explicitly differentiate itself from the sibling verify_contract, even though it mentions validation behavior.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives clear context: 'No API key needed — call this now' and says to validate the platform contract 'before acting', signaling when this should be used. It does not explicitly state when not to use it or mention alternatives such as verify_contract, so it stops short of full routing guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare the tool read-only, idempotent, and non-destructive. The description adds useful behavioral detail beyond this: it returns a single recommended tool with pre-filled arguments and bases the recommendation on the current state. No annotation contradiction is present.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is brief, front-loaded with the user's question, and every sentence serves a distinct purpose: state the goal, give the state mapping, and describe the return value. There is no redundant or filler content.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given no parameters, strong annotations, and an output schema, the description fully equips an agent to decide when to call this tool and what to expect. It covers the decision logic, the result shape, and the value over the full catalog, so nothing critical is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The tool has zero parameters and the schema description already covers that input is empty. The description adds meaning by clarifying that the 'pre-filled args' are part of the returned recommendation, not input parameters, which helps the agent understand what the response contains.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly identifies the tool as a one-call recommendation engine that returns the single next tool plus pre-filled arguments. It includes a concrete state-to-action mapping and explicitly differentiates itself from the full catalog, which also helps separate it from siblings like a2awire_guide.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives clear context for when to use the tool: whenever the agent or user needs to determine the next step based on current state. It maps states to recommended actions, but it does not explicitly name alternative tools or state when not to use it, so it stops short of full exclusions.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond the annotations, the description reveals consequential behavior: it searches, creates escrow, funds on-chain in USDC, and executes a task, meaning real money movement and external side effects. It does not detail irreversibility or buyer-agent derivation, but the destructiveHint annotation already flags risk and the description adds meaningful context.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences with no filler; the first enumerates the core behavior and the second gives targeted audience context. Every clause earns its place and the description is front-loaded with the action.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a mutating, financial tool with three parameters and an output schema, the description covers the core behavior, side effects, and intended use case. It could mention buyer-agent derivation or cost/refund boundaries, but those are partly captured by the input schema and output schema, so no critical invocation detail is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already explains capability, task_input, and max_price_usdc. The tool description mentions 'capability' and 'USDC' in passing but adds no parameter-level semantics beyond what the input schema provides. Baseline 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific action ('Hire an agent from the marketplace'), names the resource, and enumerates the full pipeline: searches by capability, creates escrow, funds on-chain in USDC, executes, and returns the result. It clearly distinguishes this tool as the 'one-call bridge' among the sibling marketplace tools.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives clear usage context: this is the one-call bridge for local orchestrators like Claude Code and Cursor. It does not explicitly name alternative tools or when not to use it, but the context is strong enough for an agent to identify the intended scenario.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, and destructiveHint=false, so the description doesn't need to repeat that this is a safe read operation. It adds useful behavioral context by specifying the concrete contents of the response and that the results are tied to the authenticated owner.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, efficiently structured sentence that front-loads the purpose with the question and then enumerates the response contents. There is no redundancy; every clause contributes useful information about what the tool returns.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a zero-parameter tool with a rich output schema and strong annotations, the description is sufficiently complete. It names all major categories the agent will receive and communicates the intended use case. Explicit routing to registration or recommendation siblings would be a nice enhancement, but nothing essential is missing for correct invocation.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

There are zero parameters, and the schema description already states that no arguments are needed and that the owner is derived from the authenticated principal. The description adds minor clarity by framing the data as 'your registered agents,' which is consistent with the authenticated-principal behavior. No parameter explanation is needed.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description starts with a clear user-facing question—'Where am I in onboarding?'—and then lists exactly what the tool returns: registered agents, capability manifests, a progress checklist, Base Sepolia testnet config, and current vs. remaining actions. This distinguishes it from all sibling tools, none of which cover the overall onboarding status.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description clearly implies when to use the tool: when an agent needs to determine onboarding state and what it can currently do. However, it does not explicitly name alternatives such as register or get_recommended_action for cases where onboarding is incomplete, so it stops short of a full when-to-use versus when-not-to-use explanation.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=false, destructiveHint=false, idempotentHint=false, so the description doesn't need to restate those. The description adds useful context: no API key needed, no wallet needed, free, and that it unlocks purchase tools. However, it doesn't disclose side effects like creating an owner/agent identity, generating keys, or that it may provision a wallet. The schema's withdrawal_address description mentions 'returning its private key exactly once', but the tool description itself doesn't surface this behavioral consequence. With annotations present, a 3 is fair – it adds some context but misses key side-effect disclosure.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single sentence with promotional emojis and a price mention. It's compact but mixes marketing language ('✅', 'Free — no wallet needed') with functional guidance. The key action ('call register on this session') is present, but the sentence is somewhat cluttered with the product pitch for devtowatch. It earns its place but could be cleaner.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

The tool has 15 optional parameters, an output schema, and annotations. The description covers the immediate call-to-action and the unlock consequence, but it doesn't explain what a successful registration returns (though output schema exists), nor does it mention that all fields are optional or that {} is a valid registration. For a tool with 15 parameters, the description is thin on context about what a typical registration should include. The output schema partially compensates, but the description could do more to guide an agent on what to pass.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all 15 parameters thoroughly. The description adds no parameter-level detail beyond the schema. Baseline 3 is appropriate since the schema does the heavy lifting and the description doesn't need to repeat it.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the action: call register on this session to unlock purchase tools, and it names the specific resource (devtowatch: dev.to Developer Blog & Tutorial Firehose). It distinguishes itself from siblings by framing registration as the prerequisite for paid tools. However, it doesn't explicitly name sibling alternatives like onboard_start, and the primary purpose (registering an agent/owner to get API keys) is somewhat buried under the promotional framing.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives explicit when-to-use guidance: 'call this now', 'no API key needed', 'no wallet needed', and it explains the consequence (unlock purchase tools). It implies this is the first step before using paid tools. However, it doesn't explicitly contrast with onboard_start or other onboarding-related siblings, and it doesn't state when NOT to use it (e.g., if already registered).

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, and non-destructive behavior. The description adds the behavioral nuance that verification is performed independently and on-chain, and enumerates the resulting data fields, without contradicting the annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

A single front-loaded sentence states purpose and enumerates the useful outputs without filler. Every phrase earns its place.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

The definition is complete for a zero-parameter, read-only, idempotent tool: purpose, behavior, and output contents are all specified, and an output schema covers return details.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

There are no parameters, and the schema explicitly states that the owner comes from the authenticated principal. The description therefore carries no parameter burden; a baseline of 4 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description names a specific verb ('verify'), a specific resource ('EscrowVault on-chain'), and lists concrete returned artifacts. This clearly differentiates it from sibling tools like get_agent_contract, which targets a different contract.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The phrase 'Independently verify the EscrowVault on-chain' establishes a clear context for use: a read-only confirmation of the deployed vault's identity and details. It does not explicitly list when-not-to-use alternatives, but zero parameters and the read-only nature reduce ambiguity.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.