list_customers

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden. It mentions 'search and pagination' which adds behavioral context, but omits critical safety information (read-only status), rate limits, and the default behavior for locationId (falling back to env var).

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?

Two sentences with minimal waste. However, it misses the opportunity to front-load the important locationId default behavior (SHOPMONKEY_LOCATION_ID env var) mentioned in the schema, which is crucial for successful invocation.

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?

With 4 parameters, 100% schema coverage, and no output schema, the description is minimally adequate but incomplete. It fails to describe return values (necessary without output schema) and omits the env var default for locationId that appears only in the schema description.

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%, establishing a baseline of 3. The description mentions 'search' and 'pagination' which map to the query/limit/page parameters, but adds no semantic detail beyond the schema descriptions—no syntax examples, format constraints, or clarifications on the locationId default behavior.

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?

Clear verb ('List') and resource ('customers from Shopmonkey'), but fails to distinguish from sibling 'get_customer'—it doesn't clarify that 'list' is for searching/filtering multiple records while 'get' retrieves a specific customer by ID.

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?

Provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus 'get_customer' or 'search_parts'. No mention of prerequisites like authentication or when pagination is necessary.

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