retrieve_instances_list

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is fully covered structurally. The description adds only the account-scoping note and says nothing about pagination behavior or default result volume, which for a 19-filter listing endpoint is the missing behavioral context.

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 lines, front-loaded with the operation and the route. There is mild redundancy between 'List instances' and 'List and filter all instances', but no wasted exposition.

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 19 optional parameters, no output schema, and no pagination or default-ordering guidance, the description leaves the agent to discover behavior from the schema alone. Annotations cover safety, but the result-shape and paging story is thin for an endpoint of 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 100%, with page, size, search syntax, orderBy format and the situationally tricky 'suspended' flag all documented in the schema. The description's 'filter' wording adds nothing new, so 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 ('List instances') plus the scope restriction 'in your account', and the HTTP route disambiguates it from the mutating siblings. It does not explicitly name the singular 'retrieve_instance' sibling, but the list-vs-single distinction is clear from the wording.

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?

'List and filter all instances in your account' implies the use case (bulk enumeration with filters), but there is no explicit when-to-use, when-not, or pointer to alternatives such as retrieve_instance for a single lookup. Usage must be inferred.

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