Installed apps

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and destructiveHint=false, so safety is covered. The description adds behavior beyond that: it discloses that bundle ids are returned and that userOnly defaults to true and hides Apple's system apps — a filtering default an agent would otherwise get wrong. It does not mention ordering or pagination, so not a 5.

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 short sentences with no filler, and the core purpose is front-loaded before the filtering caveat. It could still be a touch more explicit about the device parameter or about what the returned list looks like, but the density is appropriate.

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?

This is a simple two-parameter read tool with no output schema, so the description needs only the purpose, the return content, and the filter semantics — all present. The only minor gap is that it does not say what happens if no simulator is booted, which the schema's device default only partly addresses.

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 50%: device is documented in the schema, but userOnly has no schema description at all. The description compensates by explaining the filter's meaning and its default value, which is the single most ambiguous parameter here.

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 concrete verb and resource ("Lists installed apps") plus the key payload (bundle ids), which is enough to distinguish it from sibling tools like ios_launch_app or ios_install_app. It never explicitly names a sibling alternative, which keeps it from 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: the agent can infer you call this to discover what is installed before launching or terminating an app. There is no explicit when-to-use/when-not guidance, no mention of prerequisites such as a booted simulator beyond the schema's device default, and no steering toward an alternative tool.

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