Get User Profile

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full behavioral burden. It does disclose a genuinely useful trait — the search spans both virtual (session) and persistent (database) storage — and notes the profile must have been previously created. It omits what happens when the ID is not found, precedence between the two storages, and any permission or side-effect details.

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 storage-location detail is front-loaded and the conditional bullets are scannable. There is mild redundancy between 'Retrieve a user profile' and 'This tool fetches a previously created user profile,' but nothing that wastes significant space.

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?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be explained, and the single parameter is fully described. What is missing is the not-found/error behavior and the precedence between virtual and persistent storage — both relevant for a lookup tool without annotations.

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 100% and there is only one nested parameter (profile_id), which the schema already documents. The description adds no format, naming convention, or provenance guidance for the ID beyond what the schema provides, so baseline 3 applies.

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 states a specific verb and resource ('Retrieve a user profile by ID') and clarifies the storage backing. It does not distinguish itself from close siblings like list_user_profiles or search/get flows, but the core action is unambiguous.

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?

Three 'use this tool when' bullets are given (EER calculations, checking existing data, validating before calculations), which implies context. However, the bullets are generic and never name an alternative such as list_user_profiles for enumeration or create_user_profile for profile creation, so routing judgment is left to the agent.

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