cancel_order

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full behavioral burden and largely fails it. Cancellation is a mutation that is typically irreversible, yet the description says nothing about reversibility, side effects such as refunds or stock release, required permissions, or error conditions for orders that cannot be cancelled.

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?

A single, front-loaded sentence with zero filler. The action is stated first and the id source is appended compactly, which is exactly the right shape for a one-parameter tool.

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?

The output schema exists, so return values need not be described. But for a destructive, unannotated mutation tool with an undocumented parameter, the description omits the irreversibility and precondition details an agent needs to invoke it safely, leaving it only minimally complete.

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 coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate for the single order_id parameter. It does add real provenance value by naming the tools that produce a valid id, but it says nothing about the id's format or validity constraints, so it only partially compensates for the coverage gap.

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 ("Cancel an order") plus the identifying parameter ("by id"), which is unambiguous and distinct from every sibling tool. It stops short of explicitly contrasting itself with siblings, but no sibling offers cancellation, so differentiation is effectively implicit.

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?

The parenthetical points the agent at where the id comes from (confirm_order/active_orders), which implies the usage context: cancel an order you previously confirmed or listed. However, it never states when not to use it, prerequisites (e.g. only before shipment), or whether the order must be in a particular state.

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