capture_from_sdr

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the burden of behavioral disclosure. It mentions capturing from an attached device and the fixed-duration IQ segment, but does not disclose what happens if no device is found, error handling, or if the operation is destructive. Adequate but not thorough.

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 sentence that immediately conveys the primary action. It is concise without extraneous information, though it could be slightly more structured for readability.

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 5 parameters with defaults, no schema descriptions, an output schema (not detailed here), and multiple sibling tools, the description is too minimal. It does not mention that all parameters are optional, the expected output format, or device compatibility constraints. Incomplete for a tool with this complexity.

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%, meaning no parameter descriptions are provided in the schema. The tool description does not explain any parameter meaning beyond their names (e.g., gain, sample_rate). This requires the agent to infer from parameter names alone, which is insufficient for proper invocation.

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 that the tool captures a fixed-duration IQ segment from specific SDR devices (RTL-SDR/HackRF/SoapySDR), which distinguishes it from siblings like load_iq_file (loading from file) and list_sdr_devices (listing devices).

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 does not provide any guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives, nor does it mention prerequisites like requiring an attached device or driver setup. No explicit when-to-use or when-not-to-use context.

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