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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint=false, so safety is covered structurally. The description still adds genuine value with the "published only" scope and the explicit exclusion "Exam questions and answers are never returned" — a meaningful data-boundary disclosure. It stops short of describing behavior on missing inputs or error outcomes.

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 short sentences, front-loaded with the action and resource, followed immediately by the data-exclusion caveat. Nothing redundant or padded.

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 read tool with full annotations and no output schema, the description adequately covers what is returned and what is deliberately withheld. The only gap is behavior for a nonexistent or unpublished slug, which an agent would want to know.

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% and the single slug parameter already carries a pattern, length bounds, and description. The description only restates lookup-by-slug and adds the published-only filter implication, which is close to the baseline for a fully documented 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?

States a specific verb and resource ("Get one published academy course by its slug") and even enumerates the payload contents (objectives, lessons, FAQ). The singular "one ... course" implicitly contrasts with the listing siblings such as list_courses, but no sibling is actually named, so it falls just short of a 5.

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 word "published" signals that only live courses are retrievable, which is a partial when-to-use constraint. There is no explicit guidance on when to prefer this over list_courses or a search sibling, nor what to expect for an unpublished or unknown slug.

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