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

readOnlyHint=true already tells the agent this is a safe, side-effect-free operation, so the description carries a lighter burden. It adds nothing beyond that — no mention of latency, failure semantics, or what a failed check implies — but nothing contradicts the annotations.

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 three-word phrase with zero waste, front-loading the verb and target. Nothing could be trimmed without losing meaning.

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, return values needn't be explained, and a zero-param health check is a simple tool. Still, the description leaves open what a 'check' verifies and how it differs from the sibling connection validators, which an agent would need in order to choose correctly.

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 there is nothing for the description to disambiguate; baseline 4 applies. No parameter-level context is needed or missing.

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?

"Check MCP connectivity" names a specific verb (check) and resource (MCP connectivity), and the word "MCP" implicitly scopes it away from the Notion/Calendar connection validators in the sibling list. It is clear but does not explicitly state that it exercises the MCP server itself rather than an upstream integration.

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?

There is no guidance on when to call this versus validate_notion_connection or validate_calendar_connection, nor any note about when a health check is appropriate (start of session, after errors, etc.). The only signal is the word "connectivity," which the agent must infer usage from.

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