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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, so the safety profile is covered and the description does not contradict it. It adds real context beyond the annotations: pagination behavior, the return shape (edges[].node plus pageInfo and totalCount), and the underlying Bettermode GraphQL query name.

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?

Three sentences, front-loaded with the resource definition and pagination, followed by parameter hints and the return shape. Tight overall, though the enumeration of orderBy/reverse lightly duplicates schema content.

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 5-parameter, no-output-schema list tool this is close to complete: it explains the resource, pagination, filter/sort options, and the exact return envelope. The main missing element is guidance on when to reach for this versus sibling list/search tools.

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%, so all five parameters (limit, query, offset, orderBy, reverse) are already documented in the schema. The description restates query, orderBy (with the enum name) and reverse without adding syntax or format detail beyond what the schema provides, so the baseline 3 applies.

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 ('List') and resource ('spaces'), and goes further by defining the domain concept ('the containers for posts — e.g. discussions, Q&A, articles'). This clearly separates it from bettermode_list_posts and from the singular bettermode_get_space, though it never names those siblings explicitly.

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 description covers filtering and ordering parameters but gives no when-to-use guidance, no prerequisites, and no routing to alternatives such as bettermode_search or bettermode_list_posts. An agent must infer usage purely from the 'list' verb.

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