ios_apps

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 only needs to add context. It does add the return shape (bundle ID + display name), but says nothing about whether apps come from a booted simulator vs a specific device, or what happens if no device is available.

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?

One short sentence, front-loaded with the action and immediately followed by the payload. Nothing is wasted or buried.

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 read-only list tool with no output schema, the essentials are close to covered, but the undefined device parameter leaves a real gap: an agent cannot tell whether to omit it, pass a UDID, or pass a booted-simulator identifier.

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 single 'device' parameter has 0% schema description coverage and the description never mentions it — no semantics for what a device value looks like, whether it is required, or what the null default selects. The prose about bundle ID/display name describes output, not the input parameter, so it does not 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?

States a specific verb and resource ('List installed apps') and even names the returned fields (bundle ID, display name), which lets an agent distinguish it from ios_devices (devices, not apps) and ios_launch (launching, not listing). It does not explicitly call out those siblings, so it stops short of a 5.

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?

Usage is only implied: an agent can infer this is the discovery step before ios_launch/ios_terminate, but nothing states when to call it, whether a device must be booted first, or what to do instead for other listing needs.

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