List Atera agents

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and idempotentHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds some behavioral context by noting agents are 'installed' and that results can be filtered by customer, but it does not describe pagination behavior, default page sizes, or data freshness. This modest value beyond annotations warrants a 3.

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?

The description is a single, focused sentence with no filler. It front-loads the primary action and resource, then adds the filtering option. Every word earns its place.

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 output schema and a sparse description, key context is missing: the response format, behavior of page/itemsInPage, and any ordering or default page size. The read-only/idempotent annotations help, but an agent should know more to correctly invoke pagination and interpret results.

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. It does clarify that customerId acts as a filter ('optionally filtered by customer'), but it provides no explanation for the page and itemsInPage parameters beyond their names. An agent is left to infer pagination semantics without any guidance on defaults or limits.

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 states a specific verb ('List'), resource ('installed Atera agents'), and optional filter ('by customer'). It clearly separates this list operation from sibling atera_agents_get, which implies retrieving a single agent. The title reinforces the same, making the purpose unambiguous.

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 when to use this tool (when you want a list of agents, possibly for one customer) but does not explicitly mention alternatives or exclusions. For instance, it does not say 'use atera_agents_get for a single agent.' The guidance is inferred from the verb 'List' rather than explicitly stated.

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