Get record engine status

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds that this is a plain HTTP GET to a /discover.json path and enumerates the returned fields, which is useful given openWorld/network behavior. It says nothing about auth requirements, error behavior when the engine is unreachable, or whether it validates reachability first.

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 front-loaded sentence with no filler; the endpoint and payload fields come first. Given how thin the definition is overall, the terseness is efficient rather than wasteful.

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 one-parameter read tool with full annotation coverage and no output schema, listing the returned fields is a real plus. Still missing: why one would call this instead of hdhomerun_get_discover, and any auth/network preconditions given the openWorldHint.

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 0% and there is one required parameter, so the description must carry the load. It partially does: embedding '<storage engine BaseURL>/discover.json' signals that the parameter is a base URL to which a path is appended, not a full endpoint URL — meaning beyond the bare name. It omits format details such as scheme/port, trailing-slash handling, or relation to the storage URL field returned.

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 (GET) and resource (/discover.json on the record engine) plus the exact fields returned (FriendlyName/Version/BaseURL/StorageURL/FreeSpace). The phrase 'local record engine' distinguishes it from the device-level hdhomerun_get_discover, though it never names that sibling.

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?

No when-to-use statement, no prerequisites, and no mention of alternatives such as hdhomerun_get_discover, hdhomerun_poke_record_engine, or hdhomerun_check_discovery_cache_freshness. The agent must infer that this is the record-engine counterpart of device discovery.

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