Fetch current AL.com top news stories from its public Arc RSS feed, returning headlines and brief publisher teasers rather than full article text.
Get AL.com top stories. Returns current AL.com News stories from its public Arc RSS feed. Feed summaries are brief publisher teasers, not full article text.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v1.17.7Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the full burden and does useful work: it names the source as the public Arc RSS feed and warns that summaries are brief publisher teasers, not full article text. That return-content caveat is exactly the kind of behavioral context an agent needs. It doesn't mention ordering, volume, or refresh behavior.
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?
Three tight sentences with zero waste, and the core purpose ('top stories') is front-loaded ahead of the informational caveat.
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-parameter feed tool with no output schema, the description covers source and content quality adequately. It stops short of describing feed scope or item count, which an agent calling blind might want, but nothing critical is omitted.
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 description to document; the baseline of 4 applies. No parameter text is needed or missing.
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 and resource: 'Get AL.com top stories' and confirms it returns current AL.com News stories. It clearly distinguishes the content type from raw headlines, though it doesn't explicitly contrast with its alcom_headlines/alcom_sections siblings.
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 implied by 'top stories' but there is no explicit statement of when to use this over alcom_headlines or alcom_sections, nor any exclusions. An agent must infer that this is the general news feed among the AL.com family.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.