cairn_orient

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

With no annotations, the description carries the burden, and it does disclose content composition (compiled digest plus open items) and the call-once cadence. It omits what happens when no prior context exists, whether the digest can be stale, and how large the payload is — meaningful gaps for a context-injection tool.

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 compact sentences with zero waste, and the payoff statement (what you get) is front-loaded before the invocation advice. Nothing repeated from structured fields.

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 zero-param tool with no output schema, the description adequately explains what the returned context consists of. The only real omission is the empty/first-session behavior, which is minor given the simplicity of the tool.

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 no parameter semantics to explain; baseline 4 applies. The description correctly signals that no input is required to invoke it.

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 names a concrete resource — the most recent compiled PROTOCOL digest plus open items — rather than restating the opaque name 'cairn_orient'. It does not explicitly contrast with siblings such as cairn_recent or cairn_fetch, so the agent must infer that this is the session-bootstrap variant from the timing hint alone.

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?

'Call once at the beginning of a session to inherit prior context' gives an explicit trigger and a frequency constraint ('once'). No explicit when-not or named alternative is provided, but the timing cue effectively separates it from cairn_recent and cairn_search.

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