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

Beyond the readOnlyHint annotation, the description discloses important behavioral details: must-use plugins and drop-ins are excluded, slugs may be null and therefore unusable for follow-up tools, and a read failure must never be treated as 'nothing installed'. It also clarifies that the data is read directly from the installation and should be current immediately after changes.

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 purpose is front-loaded and most sentences carry necessary operational caveats, with little pure filler. The description is somewhat dense and semicolon-heavy, but the length is largely justified by the number of behavioral warnings it must convey.

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?

With no output schema, the description still covers the key return semantics: plugin/theme status, version, available update version, slug presence or null, and exclusions. It also covers the main failure mode and multi-site selection, leaving no critical gap 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?

Schema coverage is 100%, and both parameters are already documented in the schema. The description reiterates the site_url condition and adds a useful pointer to get_wordpress_sites, but it does not add syntax or format details beyond what the schema provides, so the 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 verb and resource: it lists all installed WordPress plugins and themes with status and version, and explicitly says when update information is included. It also distinguishes this tool from get_outdated_plugins, so an agent can select it without opening the schema.

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 explicitly identifies the follow-up tools that need slugs from this result (delete_wordpress_item, set_wordpress_plugin_state, update_wordpress_item) and contrasts this with get_outdated_plugins, which only shows entries with pending updates. It also says when to pass site_url and points to get_wordpress_sites for multi-installation domains.

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