List Calendar Events

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, openWorldHint and destructiveHint=false, so "Read-only" merely restates them. The genuinely additive behavioral facts are the 14-day default range and the default type=event, which are useful but thin; nothing is said about pagination behavior despite the limit parameter.

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, zero filler, with the core action and its default scope front-loaded before the filtering hint. Every clause carries information an agent needs.

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 zero-required-parameter read tool with a fully described schema and complete annotations, the description covers the essentials of what is returned and over what window. It stops short of explaining result ordering or how limit interacts with the default range, so it is strong but not exhaustive.

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%, so every parameter including the type enum and limit is already documented in the schema. The description echoes type=assignment and course_ids but adds no format, boundary, or defaulting detail beyond what the schema states; 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 ("List calendar events") plus a variant mode (type=assignment for due dates) and a scope (date range). It is clear what the tool returns, but it does not differentiate itself from the near-duplicate siblings list_upcoming_events and get_calendar_event.

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?

It supplies the default window (next 14 days) and instructs how to narrow results to courses, which implies when to use it. However, there is no explicit when-not guidance and no mention of the overlapping sibling tools, so an agent must infer which listing tool to pick.

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