identify_business

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

With no annotations, the description carries the burden and does disclose meaningful behavior: inference is done by Opus 4.8 with live web search and website reading, which implies latency, external network access and non-deterministic output. It does not cover failure behavior (what happens when the business can't be identified) or whether results are cached, so it falls short of a 5.

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?

Two sentences, front-loaded with the purpose and the imperative call ordering, with no filler. The second sentence is a long intent list but each item earns its place as a trigger signal.

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?

There is no output schema, and the description compensates by naming the returned fields, which is the key information an agent needs to chain into add_payments. The main remaining gap is the not-found / low-confidence case, which is not addressed.

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% and the single parameter already documents itself with examples. The description's "name, website, or short phrase" restates the schema rather than adding format, normalization or ambiguity-resolution guidance beyond it. Baseline 3 applies.

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 ("Identify a business") plus the exact return fields: name, description, website, country, region. It is clearly distinguishable from the sibling tools (add_payments, create_checkout) because it is the lookup/enrichment step that precedes 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?

Gives explicit ordering ("Call this FIRST whenever...") and enumerates the triggering intents: accept payments, add a checkout, set up a merchant account, get paid, replace Stripe/Paddle. An agent has a concrete rule for when to reach for this tool versus jumping straight to add_payments or create_checkout.

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