Read pane messages

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

With no annotations provided, the description fully covers behavioral traits: it discloses the durable inbox nature, per-pane eviction cap, the meaning of 'dropped', and cursor-based incremental reading. This goes well beyond the basic schema.

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 tightly written sentences, each earning its place: purpose, cursor semantics, and the alternative to polling. No fluff or repetition.

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?

Given the tool's simplicity and lack of output schema, the description covers essential concepts: durable inbox, cursor, dropped count, cap, and the live delivery alternative. It lacks an explicit statement of the response shape (e.g., array of messages), but this is reasonably implied. Overall, very complete for a read operation.

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 0%, so the description must compensate. It thoroughly explains 'after' as a cursor and the need to pass the highest seen seq. paneId is self-evident from its name and context. Minor gap: it doesn't explicitly state the default behavior without 'after', but the schema already marks it optional.

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 clearly states this tool reads a pane's durable message inbox, with specific mention of cursor semantics and dropped message counts. It distinguishes itself from polling/live delivery by explicitly contrasting with subscribing to the messages resource.

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 description provides explicit when-to-use and when-not-to-use guidance: use for durable reads with cursor-based pagination, but for live delivery, subscribe to the pane's messages resource instead of polling. This is clear and actionable.

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