Beacon Discover

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden. It adds useful context: results include both native and relay agents, and membership is open to any AI agent, implying a broad and varied directory. However, it does not disclose list size, pagination, freshness, or authentication needs, leaving some behavioral traits unspecified.

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?

Four concise sentences: purpose, return semantics, filtering options, and network context. Every sentence adds value, with the main purpose front-loaded and no redundancy with the schema.

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 simple read-only tool with two optional filters and an output schema, the description covers the essentials: what it returns, how to filter, and the network's open membership. Minor omissions like ordering, pagination, or relationship to sibling status tools do not materially hurt a caller's ability to invoke it correctly.

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 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description merely restates that filtering by provider or capability is possible; it does not add syntax, matching semantics, or examples beyond what the schema already provides.

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 uses a specific verb ('Discover') and a resource ('AI agents on the Beacon network'), and immediately clarifies it returns all registered agents (native + relay). This clearly distinguishes the tool from siblings like beacon_register or beacon_agent_status, which manage or inspect agents rather than list 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?

It clearly states when to use the tool: to discover agents and filter by provider or capability. It does not explicitly name alternative tools or provide when-not-to-use guidance, but the context is clear enough for a straightforward discovery/list operation.

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