get_cookies

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden, and it does disclose one genuinely important behavior: cookie values are withheld unless --enable-cookie-values is set. That is useful beyond the schema, but nothing is said about permissions, scope (httpOnly/secure cookies), errors, or the response shape.

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?

Very short and front-loaded with no wasted words, but it is a telegraphic sentence fragment, and the key caveat about --enable-cookie-values is tacked on after a semicolon rather than integrated clearly.

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 tool with no annotations and no output schema, the description should at minimum say what the returned cookie data looks like and whether all cookies or only those for the current page are returned; neither is covered, leaving a real gap for an agent deciding how to consume the result.

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 50% — url is undocumented in the schema and tabId only notes its default. The description clarifies that url defaults to the tab's URL and overrides tabId, adding real meaning, but still says nothing about expected URL format.

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 fragment 'Cookies for the tab's URL (or url)' plus the name get_cookies conveys that cookies are retrieved for a tab or a supplied URL, but there is no explicit verb and no differentiation from siblings like storage, snapshot, or get_html, which could plausibly return related data.

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 description implies a default (tab's URL) with an explicit url override, but never states when to use this tool versus storage or other page-data tools, nor any prerequisites such as the tab needing to exist.

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