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

With no annotations, the description carries full burden. It discloses that only future performances are returned unless date_from is specified, and describes the return structure (venue, date, price, free places, buy_url). However, it does not mention pagination behavior (e.g., how to get next page, total count) or ordering direction, which are relevant for usage.

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 three sentences, with the main purpose in the first sentence. Every sentence provides essential information without filler. It is appropriately sized for the tool's complexity.

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, the description explains return fields (venue, date, price, free places, buy_url) and ordering. It also covers filtering and default behavior. However, it lacks information on error handling, empty results, and pagination structuring (e.g., how to navigate pages), making it slightly incomplete.

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 baseline is 3. The description adds significant value: it explains that artist_id comes from search_events results, clarifies that date_from defaults to today (schema says null), and specifies exact match behavior for city (case-insensitive, diacritics required). This exceeds the schema descriptions.

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 clearly states the verb 'lists', the resource 'performances of a single title', and the ordering and optional filters. It explicitly differentiates from sibling tool search_events by stating that search_events returns only the nearest performance per title.

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 provides explicit guidance: 'Use this when the user asks for all dates of a title, or for its dates in a given city or on a given weekend' and contrasts with search_events which returns only the nearest performance. This clearly specifies when to use this tool versus alternatives.

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