discord_read_dm

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description usefully adds the 'between the bot and a user' visibility boundary and the 'newest first' ordering, but says nothing about pagination, default window size, or the behavior when no DMs exist.

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 ordering qualifier parenthesized at the end. No filler, nothing wasted.

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 read-only tool with annotation-covered safety and no output schema, the description conveys what is returned (recent DMs, newest first) but leaves the read window, limit default, and pagination behavior unspecified, which matters given the undocumented limit parameter.

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 description coverage is only 50%: user_id has a description, while limit (1–100) is undocumented in the schema. The description clarifies whose DMs are returned (the bot's, for a given user) and implies recency ordering, but never explains limit's default or how it interacts with 'recent'. Partial compensation only.

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 a specific verb (read), a specific resource (direct messages between the bot and a user) and a scope (recent, newest first), which cleanly separates it from channel-reading siblings like discord_read_channel. It doesn't name an alternative sibling explicitly, but the 'direct messages between the bot and a user' phrasing makes the target unambiguous.

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?

There is no explicit guidance on when to pick this over discord_read_channel, discord_get_message, or discord_send_dm — the DM-vs-channel distinction is left to inference from the resource noun. No mention of prerequisites (e.g. bot must share a DM with the user) or exclusions.

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