list_documents

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

With no annotations, the description carries full burden for behavioral disclosure. It only mentions listing and scoping, ignoring pagination (limit/offset), sorting (sort/direction), status filtering, and result structure. This omission leaves agents unaware of common behaviors.

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?

The description is a single, short sentence. While concise, it sacrifices necessary information. It could be slightly longer to include pagination or sorting without being verbose.

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 8 parameters, no annotations, and no output schema, the description is severely underdeveloped. It omits critical context like pagination, sorting, default behavior, and result format, making it inadequate for correct tool invocation.

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 description must add meaning. It only covers 3 of 8 parameters (collection_id, parent_document_id, user_id) by mentioning 'collection, parent, or author'. Missing sort, limit, offset, direction, status_filter. Does not compensate for low coverage.

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 the tool lists documents and mentions optional scoping by collection, parent, or author. This distinguishes it from get_document (single) and search_documents (full-text search), but does not explicitly differentiate from other list tools like list_collections.

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?

No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus sibling tools like search_documents or get_document. The description implies scoping but does not explain trade-offs or prerequisites.

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