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

With no annotations, the description bears the burden of disclosing behavior. It mentions that the tool returns headlines, snippets, URLs, and tickers, giving some insight into the output, but it does not disclose pagination behavior, default ordering, rate limits, or how date parameters affect results. The phrase 'most recent articles' hints at recency but lacks depth.

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 two sentences with no wasted verbiage. It front-loads the core purpose and then lists output fields, making it efficient and clear.

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 news-feed tool with well-documented parameters, the description is adequate but not comprehensive. It lacks guidance on the semantics of the date range (e.g., the relationship between 'to' and 'from') and how pagination works, and it does not differentiate itself from searchStockNews. Given no output schema, more detail about the response structure would improve completeness.

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 covers 100% of parameters with descriptive help text (to, from, page, limit, including defaults and max). The description adds no additional parameter semantics beyond what the schema already provides, so a baseline score of 3 is appropriate.

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 tool accesses the FMP Stock News Feed API to retrieve the latest stock market news, listing specific output fields (headlines, snippets, publication URLs, ticker symbols). This distinguishes it from sibling news tools like getCryptoNews or getGeneralNews by focusing on 'stock market news.'

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 implies usage for obtaining current stock market news, but it does not explicitly mention when to prefer this over related tools such as searchStockNews, which may offer search-by-ticker functionality. No exclusions or alternative tools are named, leaving selection guidance largely implicit.

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