Create a category

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

The description discloses several behavioral traits beyond annotations: side effects on the customer's Site, slug collision returning 409 rather than silently appending, and the auth scope requirement. These details are not evident from the structural annotations and add significant value.

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?

Each of the five sentences adds a distinct, non-redundant fact: purpose, slug behavior, content mutation, publishing separation, and auth. The description is front-loaded with the core purpose and stays compact.

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 2-parameter create operation, the description covers purpose, side effects, error behavior, auth, and publication boundary. It lacks an explicit return-value description, but given no output schema and standard API conventions, this is a minor gap.

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?

The description enriches slug semantics by explaining uniqueness and conflict behavior, complementing the schema's note that slug is derived from name. It does not, however, describe the `name` parameter beyond what the tool name implies, so while it compensates for the 50% schema coverage, it doesn't fully cover both parameters.

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 opens with 'Create a category,' which is a specific verb plus resource. It clearly distinguishes from sibling tools like create_article or create_tag by naming the resource, and from update_category/delete_category by the action.

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 provides clear context: it states that publishing is a separate call ('Nothing becomes public: publishing is always a separate call') and that a secret key with taxonomy:write scope is required. However, it does not explicitly name alternative tools or when to use them, so it stops short of full when/when-not guidance.

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