youtube_metadata

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

Annotations readOnlyHint and openWorldHint indicate safe, read-only operation. The description adds minimal behavioral context beyond confirming read-only scraping. No mention of rate limits, authentication, error handling, or return types.

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?

Single sentence is concise, but it is a phrase rather than a full sentence. Could be improved with a more structured description like 'Retrieves metadata for a YouTube video given its ID.' Still efficient.

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?

No output schema is present, and the description does not specify what metadata fields are returned (e.g., title, views, likes). Given the tool's simplicity and lack of output schema, the description is incomplete for an agent to determine usefulness.

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 covers 100% of parameters and describes the single required 'query' parameter as a YouTube video ID with an example. The description adds no further meaning, so baseline 3 applies.

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 states the tool scrapes YouTube video metadata, which is a specific verb+resource. However, it doesn't detail what metadata fields are included, leaving some ambiguity. It is clearly distinct from siblings like youtube_search or youtube_subtitles.

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 indication of when to use this tool versus alternatives such as youtube_search or youtube_channel. No explicit usage context, prerequisites, or exclusions are provided.

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