Get Absences

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 the useful behavioral detail that the default is the current term, but says nothing about output shape, per-course grouping, or what an 'absence summary' contains.

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 sentence, front-loaded with the verb and resource, with the term scoping folded in efficiently. Nothing is redundant, though it is terse enough to leave gaps rather than over-explain.

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?

For a single optional-param read tool with no output schema, the essentials are present, but the agent still cannot tell what a returned 'absence summary' looks like or whether results are grouped per course. A brief note on the response structure would close the gap.

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% and already documents the YYYYN format for term_id. The description contributes beyond the schema by explaining the optional parameter's default behavior (current term when omitted), which the schema does not state because the field is not required.

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 verb (retrieve) and resource (absence summaries) with an explicit scope (all courses in a term). It is distinguishable from lookalike siblings such as get-cancelled-classes and get-course-evals, though it never names an alternative directly.

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?

Implicitly tells the agent this is a per-term, all-courses fetch, and that omitting term_id falls back to the current term. There is no explicit when-to-use vs. when-not, and no mention of the neighboring tools an agent might confuse it with.

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