order_list

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered elsewhere. The description adds only the WooCommerce-active precondition; it says nothing about default result size, pagination, ordering, or what happens when no limit is supplied.

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 resource and the precondition appear immediately. It is efficient, though the terseness comes at the cost of the usage and behavioral detail noted above.

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 no output schema, three fully documented parameters, and read-only annotations, the definition is minimally sufficient to call the tool. It falls short on defaults and result-set behavior (pagination, ordering, empty-result handling), which an agent listing orders would reasonably want to know.

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 all three parameters (limit, search, status) are documented in the schema and the baseline of 3 applies. The description contributes no additional meaning such as the default limit value, whether search covers order IDs versus customer names, or valid status values beyond the schema's example.

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 WooCommerce orders") plus a domain precondition (WooCommerce must be active), so the agent knows exactly what entity is returned. It does not explicitly contrast with the sibling order_get, which retrieves a single order, leaving that differentiation to be inferred from the names.

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 parenthetical establishes a hard prerequisite for use, which is genuinely useful routing information. However, there is no guidance on when to prefer this over order_get, nor any note about when the search/status filters should be applied versus a plain listing.

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