Get a registered VirusTotal analysis

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

Goes well beyond the annotations by disclosing quota consumption per call, that an ID is not authorization, that results are untrusted data, and the intended-operation disambiguation via request_id. These are exactly the operational traits annotations don't convey.

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-loads the core action, then the scoping and operational caveats in short sentences. Slightly dense, but each sentence adds routing or behavioral value rather than restating the title.

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?

Covers purpose, usage routing, auth/quota caveats, and data trust, and the annotations carry the safety profile, so no output schema is needed. Adequate for correct invocation with only minor format details left implicit.

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?

With 0% schema coverage the description must carry parameter meaning, and it does: request_id is described as the receipt's request_id used to disambiguate a reused analysis ID, and analysis_id as the sole requirement for file calls. The mapping is clear though not exhaustive on format expectations.

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 ('Read one analysis registered to the current VTAI account') and explicitly distinguishes itself from the report tools by clarifying it returns the analysis's own pending/completed results, not the latest report. An agent can separate it from get_file_report and get_submission without opening a schema.

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 concrete routing conditions: pass request_id for network analyses if VirusTotal reused an analysis ID, and analysis_id alone suffices for file calls. It also lists what the tool does not do (poll, upload, initiate another analysis), which narrows usage. It stops short of naming a specific sibling to use instead for 'latest report' lookups.

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