instagram_following

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint and openWorldHint, so safety is covered; the description adds real behavioral context beyond them: page-at-a-time semantics, null-cursor termination, the 422 private_account error, and a 3-credit cost. That is meaningful disclosure for an external-scraping style tool.

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, front-loaded sentences with zero filler: what it returns, how to paginate, the error case, and the cost. Every sentence earns its place.

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 paged list tool with no output schema, the description covers pagination, termination, error behavior, and credits. It does not describe the returned fields of each followed account beyond 'the total', which is a minor gap given no output schema exists.

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 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description adds the null-means-no-more-pages semantics for cursor that the schema's 'next_cursor from the previous page' phrasing does not spell out, and it reinforces the user_id/username choice.

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+resource ('Get accounts an account follows') and clarifies that it is one page of a public account's following list. The direction (following, not followers) is implicit in the name/description but never explicitly contrasts with instagram_followers, so sibling differentiation is left partly to inference.

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?

Gives concrete operational guidance for pagination (pass next_cursor back as cursor; null means no more pages) and the private-account failure mode. However, it never states when to choose this over instagram_followers or that it only works for public accounts until the error is described.

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