get_volume

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

readOnlyHint=true already tells the agent this is a safe read, so the bar is lower, and the description adds the return contract that the annotations do not: the 0-100 scale and the boolean mute state. With no output schema, disclosing the shape of the answer is exactly the added value needed. It does not mention permissions or any failure mode, keeping it short of 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?

A single sentence that front-loads the core capability, then appends the return scale, mute state, and a natural-language query hook without a wasted word.

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-argument, read-only getter with no output schema, an agent needs to know the resource, the read-only nature, and the returned fields. The description covers all three explicitly, including the numeric range.

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?

The tool takes zero parameters, so per the rubric the baseline is 4. There is nothing parameter-wise for the description to clarify, and it correctly does not invent any.

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 the Mac's output volume') and goes further by defining the returned scale (0-100) and the mute flag. The verb 'Get' also implicitly separates it from the sibling setters set_volume and set_mute, though it never names them.

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 clause 'also answers "is it loud"' implicitly maps a user intent to this tool, which is useful routing context. However, there is no explicit when-to-use statement, no exclusion, and no reference to the alternative setters, so the guidance stays implied.

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