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

Adds substantial behavior beyond the annotations: new lessons default to unpublished so no student sees them, that is why it runs without a confirmation prompt, and it requires a Cotlet API key scoped to the app. These cover state, safety rationale, and auth needs that the readOnly/destructive/openWorld hints alone do not convey.

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?

Purpose is front-loaded and the four sentences are mostly load-bearing (placement, analogy, visibility, auth). The 'That is why create_lesson runs without asking first' sentence is more justification than instruction, a minor bit of slack.

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 mutation tool with annotations present and no output schema, this covers the essentials: what is created, where it lands, its default visibility state, the sibling that flips visibility, and the required credential. Nothing needed to call it correctly 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 coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all four parameters and the baseline is 3. The description adds that body_markdown is interpreted as Markdown ('text from Markdown'), which is useful semantic detail beyond the schema's terse 'Text for a Text & Image block.'

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?

States a specific verb+resource (creates a lesson), its placement (at the end of a section), and its content source (Markdown text). It also explicitly contrasts with the sibling publish_lesson, so an agent can distinguish it from update_lesson/get_lesson without opening any 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?

Gives clear context for when to reach for it ('like New lesson in the Curriculum tab') and ties visibility behavior to publish_lesson. It stops short of an explicit when-not or a direct comparison to update_lesson, so it is clear but not fully exclusionary.

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