list_activities

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive and open-world, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds the newest-first ordering, compact-row output shape and default window, but says nothing about pagination, total counts, or the fact that large ranges may be truncated by limit.

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 sentences, front-loaded with the resource and output shape, with the default scope placed second. No filler.

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?

With an output schema present, the field enumeration is bonus rather than necessity, and the default-window note fills the main schema ambiguity. Minor gap is the absence of any note about how limit interacts with the date 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?

Schema coverage is 75% and documents date formats and activity_type examples, but the description adds real value by clarifying the effective default window (last 30 days) that the null-valued date params otherwise leave ambiguous. The limit parameter's interaction with that window is unstated.

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+resource (lists activities) and enumerates the per-row fields returned, plus sort order. It does not distinguish itself from siblings like get_activity or get_day_detail, so an agent must infer that this is the bulk-list counterpart.

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?

'Defaults to the last 30 days' gives a useful operating context but there is no explicit when-to-use guidance or named alternative for fetching a single activity or a day's detail.

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