get_financials

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

Discloses data granularity (annual/quarterly), historical depth (up to 5 years), and source with rate limit (Alpha Vantage, 25/day). With no annotations, this provides useful behavioral context.

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 concise sentences, no redundancy. Front-loaded with the core purpose, then details. Every sentence adds value.

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 retrieval tool with no output schema, the description covers inputs, output granularity, history limit, and rate constraint. It lacks mention of response structure but is sufficiently complete given tool simplicity.

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 coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3. Description adds minimal new meaning beyond the schema's enum descriptions; it only notes the source and time horizon, not parameter-specific details.

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 clearly states it retrieves financial statements and enumerates the three types (income, balance, cashflow), differentiating from sibling tools like get_earnings or get_company_overview. Verb+resource is specific.

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?

No guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives such as get_earnings or compare_stocks. The description implies usage for financial statements but does not provide context for selection.

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