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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds useful behavioral context by enumerating the fields the response includes (addresses, contact data, credit limit, category, salesman, price list), which is valuable precisely because no output schema exists.

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?

A single front-loaded sentence plus endpoint, with zero filler. Every clause earns its place by either naming the resource or specifying the payload.

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?

Given no output schema, listing the returned fields is the right compensating move. Still missing for an agent to invoke reliably: how to source the customer_id, and behavior when the id does not exist (empty result vs. error).

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?

Only one parameter exists and schema description coverage is 0%, so the description must carry the burden. "by id" clarifies that customer_id is a customer identifier, but it adds no format, source, or validity guidance beyond that.

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 a customer") and enumerates the data returned (addresses, contact data, credit limit, category, salesman, price list). It is clear what the tool does, but it does not contrast itself with the sibling laudus_list_customers (bulk listing) or clarify that this is the single-record fetch.

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?

"by id" implies the tool requires a known customer identifier, which implicitly distinguishes it from list-style siblings. However, there is no explicit when-to-use rule, no mention of where to obtain the id (e.g., laudus_list_customers), and no note on what happens for an unknown id.

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