List VomeHome instances

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the safe-read posture is covered. The description usefully adds the auth prerequisite (VOMEHOME_TOKEN) and that health is only 'where available,' but says nothing about pagination, ordering, or what an empty account returns.

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?

A single sentence, front-loaded with the verb and resource, with the returned field list and the auth caveat appended compactly. No filler, no repetition of 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?

For a zero-parameter, read-only list tool with no output schema, the description covers purpose, the fields returned, the auth requirement, and the conditional nature of health data. The remaining gap is the absence of any routing guidance to sibling tools, which keeps it just short of full completeness.

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 tool takes no parameters at all, so per the rubric the baseline is 4. The description cannot add parameter meaning because there is nothing to document, and it does not confuse the reader with phantom inputs.

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?

Specific verb (List) + resource (Home Assistant instances on your VomeHome account), and it enumerates the returned fields (status, tier, HA URL, live health). This distinguishes it from siblings like vomehome_get_instance (singular) and vomehome_use_instance (selects one).

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 scope 'on your VomeHome account' implies the discovery use case and the description notes the auth requirement, but it never states when to reach for this versus vomehome_get_instance for a single instance or vomehome_chap_status. Usage is implied, not explicit.

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