scope

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

With no annotations, the description carries full burden. It explains the operations and their parameter associations but does not disclose behavioral details such as side effects (e.g., does 'clear' destroy data?), authorization needs, or concurrency behavior. The operations are transparent in what they do but not their full impact.

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 extremely concise: one introductory sentence and a bulleted list of operations. Every sentence is necessary and front-loaded with the core purpose. No redundant or verbose language.

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 the tool's complexity (multiple operations with many parameters) and lack of output schema, the description adequately covers operations and parameter usage. However, it omits details about return values (e.g., what does 'status' return?), scope persistence, or how this interacts with sibling tools like 'session_start' or 'context'.

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%, and each parameter already has a description indicating which operation it applies to. The description merely restates this mapping (e.g., 'For declare: task being done'), adding no new semantic meaning beyond the schema.

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 is a 'Scope guard for multi-file tasks' and lists five specific operations (declare, check, expand, status, clear), making the purpose unambiguous. It distinguishes itself from sibling tools like 'context' or 'loop' by focusing on file scoping.

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 'multi-file tasks' but provides no explicit guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives among siblings (e.g., 'context', 'pre_edit_check'). No when-not-to-use or exclusion criteria are given.

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