get_course_details

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

Annotations already declare readOnly/idempotent/non-destructive, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely new context: the note that this endpoint has no session parameter, and the id-chaining hint toward generate_timetable.

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?

Front-loaded with the primary purpose, then example, filter, and downstream usage in short lines. The 'no session parameter in the supplied API reference' sentence is slightly meta but earns its place by preventing a wrong assumption.

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?

No output schema exists, so the description's enumeration of returned fields (sections, meetings, rooms, instructors) is necessary and present. Coverage of error/empty-result behavior is absent but not critical for a read-only detail lookup.

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 carry the load, and it does add value: a concrete course_code example (CSC108H1) and an explanation of the section_code filter. It does not spell out the pattern constraint (^[A-Za-z0-9]+$) that the schema enforces.

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 (Get) and resource (course code's sections, meetings, rooms, instructors), and names the returned entities, which cleanly separates it from search_courses/search_course_titles lookups.

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 an example input (CSC108H1), clarifies the optional F/S/Y filter, and points to the downstream tool (generate_timetable) that consumes the returned course id. It lacks explicit when-not-to-use guidance versus search_courses, so it stops short of a 5.

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