printer_status

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

With no annotations at all, the description carries the full behavioral burden. 'Live state' implies a read-only snapshot call, which is useful, but it says nothing about latency, whether the printer must be online, what happens on connection failure, or the shape of the response beyond four field names.

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?

One compact, front-loaded sentence with no wasted wording. The trailing ellipsis after 'idle/printing/...' is slightly informal for an enum hint but does not impede comprehension.

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?

There is no output schema, so the description is the only source of return-value information; it names state, progress, temperatures, and file, which is a reasonable sketch but leaves the numeric units, temperature targets, and full state enum unstated.

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?

The tool takes zero parameters, so there is nothing for the schema to describe and no parameter meaning for the description to add. Baseline applies; nothing is missing on this dimension.

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 specific resource ('Elegoo printer') and a specific output ('live state'), then enumerates what is returned: status enum values, progress, temperatures, file. That clearly separates it from static siblings like printer_info.

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 word 'live' implies this is the polling/current-state tool versus the static printer_info, but the description never states when to use it or that printer_info is the alternative. Usage is inferable rather than explicit.

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