recent_changes

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=false, and the closing 'Changes nothing.' reinforces the mutation-safety profile. It adds the ordering guarantee ('newest first') and the prerequisite framing 'in an open vault', which helps the agent know an unlocked vault is required.

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?

Three short sentences, zero waste, with the scope and ordering front-loaded before the usage guidance and the safety note.

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?

With a 2-param schema at full coverage, annotations, and an output schema covering return values, the description supplies everything needed to invoke it correctly. It stops short of only minor extras (e.g., a note on pagination or whether vault must be unlocked).

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% (limit and vault are both documented with defaults and an example), so the schema carries the burden. The description adds no syntax or format detail beyond it, making the baseline 3 appropriate.

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?

States a specific verb and resource ('List the latest changes'), scopes it ('in an open vault, newest first'), and enumerates the returned fields, so it is distinguishable from siblings like versions, undo, and trash_list at a glance.

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?

Gives two concrete usage cases: 'show the user what changed' and 'find the id undo takes', the latter explicitly routing to the undo sibling. No when-not guidance is offered, but the use conditions are clear.

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