treasury.debt

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

With no annotations, the description carries full burden. It discloses data frequency and components but omits behavioral details such as pagination behavior, rate limits, or whether the tool is read-only. The description provides moderate transparency but lacks depth on how the tool behaves.

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 a single, efficient sentence that front-loads purpose and key details. Every piece of information is relevant and concise, with no wasted words.

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 5 parameters, no output schema, and no annotations, the description is incomplete. It provides an overview of data content but lacks guidance on how to filter, sort, or paginate. An agent would struggle to use the tool effectively without additional 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 description coverage is low (20%), yet the description adds no meaning to the parameters. It does not explain the purpose of sort, fields, pageSize, or pageNumber. The description fails to compensate for the missing 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 tool retrieves US National Debt data daily, specifying components (total public debt, held-by-public, intragovernmental holdings) and time range (every weekday since 1993). It distinguishes from siblings like treasury.cash or treasury.monthly-statement by focusing on debt specifically.

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 the tool is for historical debt data but does not explicitly state when to use it versus alternatives like treasury.cash or treasury.exchange-rates. No exclusions or trade-offs are mentioned.

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