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

The description explicitly states 'Read-only', which is a useful behavioral disclosure given that no annotations are provided. However, it does not mention result limits, pagination, authentication needs, or what specifically 'available' means, leaving some behavioral ambiguity.

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 extremely short—three meaningful sentences (or two sentence fragments) —and every word contributes to the core purpose. No padding, redundancy, or irrelevant 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 simple tool with one required parameter and no output schema, the description is minimally adequate. Yet it leaves out practical context like whether results are intended to feed describe_gate, what constitutes a valid query, and what a caller should expect in return.

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 input schema has 0% description coverage for the query parameter. The tool description only says 'Search...', implying query is the search text, but adds no detail about what fields it matches, whether it is partial or exact, or how to format the query. Because the schema also lacks this info, the description does not adequately compensate.

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 uses a specific verb ('Search') and resource ('Gate Network toll gates'), so it is not a tautology. It is clear that this tool performs search, which is distinct from 'list_gates' and 'describe_gate', though it does not explicitly call out that distinction.

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 guidance on when to use this tool versus siblings like list_gates or describe_gate. The description does not state whether to use search_gates for finding gate IDs by name/location or which conditions should lead to choosing an alternative.

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