moodle_deadlines

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full behavioral burden. It usefully discloses the sort order ('soonest first'), but omits whether the call is read-only, any auth/precondition, and how the limit interacts with results. That is a meaningful gap for a zero-annotation tool.

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 sentence with no waste, front-loading the resource and the ordering constraint. Nothing extraneous is present.

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?

The output schema means return values need no explanation, and the tool is simple (one optional param, no nesting). However, the undocumented 'limit' parameter and absence of any usage or behavioral context leave the definition just adequate rather than complete.

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 0%, so the description must compensate, yet it never mentions the single 'limit' parameter or its default of 20. The meaning of the only parameter is left entirely undocumented.

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?

The description gives a specific verb and resource ('List upcoming assignments, quizzes and other dated activities') and adds scope ('upcoming', 'soonest first'). It is easily distinguishable from siblings like moodle_login, moodle_courses, or moodle_sync, though it does not explicitly name or contrast with any of them.

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?

Usage is implied by the phrasing — an agent can infer this is the tool for deadlines — but there is no explicit when-to-use, when-not-to-use, or comparison to alternatives such as moodle_browse or moodle_courses. Guidance is left to inference.

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