Home Assistant WebSocket API

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

Annotations already mark destructive/not read-only/non-idempotent; description adds behavior: bridge owns auth/request IDs, optional bounded event collection, socket closes, no retries. No contradiction.

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?

Two concise sentences; purpose is front-loaded and each clause adds meaningful constraints (auth ownership, bounded collection, socket lifecycle, no retries) without padding.

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?

Covers lifecycle and constraints, but omits command format/examples and waitMs semantics; with no output schema it need not describe return values, but the nested command object is underspecified for a correct call.

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 has no property descriptions; description only maps 'command' and hints at eventLimit via 'bounded event collection', but leaves waitMs and command structure/format unexplained, so it does not compensate for 0% schema description coverage.

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?

Description uses verb 'Send' and specifies resource 'Home Assistant command', plus 'one' to scope. It distinguishes from siblings ha_status and ha_rest by WebSocket bridge and 'socket always closes'.

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?

It states 'Send one Home Assistant command' and 'no monitoring or retries', giving negative guidance; 'optional bounded event collection stays within this call' indicates a finite event-collection use. It does not explicitly name ha_status/ha_rest, but the WebSocket/command framing conveys when to choose this over status/REST.

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