Search the Zotero library

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

Annotations already establish readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuine behavioral context beyond that: attachments, notes, and annotations are omitted from results, and results are paginated via next_start until null. It doesn't mention rate limits or auth, but the added scoping and pagination details are substantive.

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?

Two short sentences with no filler; the search scope is front-loaded and the exclusions plus pagination contract follow immediately. 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?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be described, and the description covers result filtering and pagination adequately. The only gap is routing guidance relative to the sibling list/search tools, which keeps it from a 5.

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 limit, query, and start are fully documented in the schema, including the phrase-matching caveat for query and the next_start pattern for start. The description adds no parameter detail beyond restating the searchable fields, 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 ("Search the user's Zotero library") plus the searchable fields (title, creator, year), so the agent knows exactly what this returns. It does not name or contrast with the sibling list_zotero_items, which is the closest alternative, so it stops short of a 5.

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 implies usage via "Search ... by title, creator, or year," but gives no explicit when-to-use or when-not-to-use guidance against siblings such as list_zotero_items or get_zotero_item. An agent must infer that this is the query-driven counterpart to the listing tools.

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