Fetch SFGate top news stories with title, URL, summary, author, and UTC publication time. No parameters required.
Get SFGate top stories. Returns the latest stories from SFGATE's Top News Stories feed: title, canonical URL, summary, author and publication time in UTC. Takes no parameters. The feed carries no images.
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Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v1.17.5Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the full burden and does well: it enumerates the returned fields (title, canonical URL, summary, author, UTC publication time) and discloses two useful negatives — no parameters and no images in the feed. It does not mention auth or refresh cadence, which keeps it short of a 5.
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 short sentences, front-loaded with the purpose and then the return contract. Every sentence adds distinct information with zero padding.
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?
With no output schema, the description compensates by listing the returned fields, and with no annotations it states the parameter situation. Minor gaps remain on sibling routing and result count/pagination, but an agent has enough to call it correctly.
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?
Zero parameters, so the baseline is 4. The description explicitly confirms 'Takes no parameters', matching the empty schema with no ambiguity.
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 SFGate top stories') and names the exact source feed ('Top News Stories feed'). However, it never distinguishes itself from the sibling sfgate_headlines, which an agent could easily confuse with 'top stories'.
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?
No when-to-use guidance and no alternative named, despite a directly competing sibling (sfgate_headlines) and related tools (sfgate_article, sfgate_sections, sfgate_author) existing. The agent must infer selection from the name alone.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.