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

With no annotations, the description bears the burden of behavioral disclosure. It does disclose case-insensitive substring matching and a 50-row cap, but it does not mention ordering, empty results, authentication, rate limits, or the structure of returned rows.

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, information-dense sentence with no filler. It front-loads the result type and includes the case-insensitivity and limit behavior efficiently.

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 search tool, the description covers the core operation and the row cap. However, with no output schema and no annotations, it omits return format, ordering, empty-result behavior, and any guidance relative to sibling tools, leaving moderate gaps.

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 only 50%, so the description must compensate for the undocumented limit parameter. The phrase 'up to 50' clarifies the limit parameter's maximum, adding value beyond the schema. Query semantics are already described in the schema, so the description adds little there.

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 tool name and title clearly indicate a search operation. The description states what it returns—rows whose cells contain the query, case-insensitive, up to 50—making it distinct from siblings like dataset_row or dataset_stats, though no explicit contrast is made.

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?

There is no statement of when to use this tool versus alternatives such as dataset_row or dataset_top. The intended use is implied by the name and title, but no conditions, exclusions, or routing guidance are provided.

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