Get best stories

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

Discloses read-only, idempotent, unauthenticated nature, client-side caching for 60 seconds, throttling to 10 req/s with burst 20, and error handling for upstream failures. No annotations present, so description carries full burden and meets it comprehensively.

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?

Well-structured with purpose first, then behavioral details, then usage guidance. Slightly verbose but all sentences earn their place; no redundancy.

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?

Given the single parameter and presence of output schema, the description fully covers purpose, behavior, error handling, and usage differentiation. No gaps remain.

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 100% for the single parameter (limit) with its own description. The tool description adds no further semantic detail beyond the schema, so baseline of 3 is appropriate.

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?

Explicitly states it fetches Hacker News beststories ranking and returns summaries. Clearly distinguishes from siblings by contrasting with get_top_stories (front-page rank) and get_new_stories (chronological rank).

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?

Provides explicit guidance: use for high-quality/popular stories beyond current front page. Names alternatives: search_stories for topic discovery, get_item_thread for comments.

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