Get Course Activity Stream

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint and destructiveHint=false, so 'Read-only' is partly redundant, but the description adds a genuinely non-obvious trait: titles and messages are fenced as untrusted, which is critical for handling injected content safely. It does not describe ordering or pagination behavior, keeping it below a 5.

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 sentences, with the resource scope front-loaded followed by the safety note and the sibling routing hint. No filler and nothing redundant beyond the minor 'Read-only' restatement.

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?

With no output schema, the description usefully enumerates the returned item categories and the untrusted-content fencing behavior, covering what an agent needs to interpret results. Only minor gaps remain, such as result ordering and how the limit interacts with recency.

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 100% — course_id documents its format and points at list_courses, and limit is documented as 'smaller is faster'. The description adds no parameter-level detail beyond the schema, so the 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?

States a specific verb and resource ('Get recent activity in one course') and enumerates exactly what the stream contains (announcements, discussion replies, grade changes, messages). It also names the sibling it is not, so an agent can distinguish it from get_activity_stream without opening either schema.

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?

Explicitly routes the agent to get_activity_stream 'for all courses at once', giving a clear condition that selects the alternative. It does not mention when to prefer the summary variant (get_activity_stream_summary) or advise on cost/volume tradeoffs, so it stops just short of full when/when-not coverage.

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