shutdown_device

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries full responsibility for behavioral disclosure. It honestly states the immediate shutdown, the need for manual power-on, and the config disable option. This covers the key consequences without omitting critical side effects, though it does not mention potential service interruption or whether confirmation is required.

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?

The description is two sentences with no redundant words. The core action is front-loaded, and the additional notes about manual power-on and the config flag are concise and relevant. Every sentence earns its place.

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 parameterless, simple action, the description provides all necessary context: what it does, the consequence (manual power-on), and how to disable it. Given an output schema exists, return details are not needed. The description is complete for an agent to call it correctly.

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 has zero parameters, so the schema coverage is 100% by default. The description adds no parameter-specific information, but with no parameters to document, the baseline of 4 is appropriate because there is nothing to explain.

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 clearly states the action: 'Shut down the WLAN Pi immediately.' This is a specific verb-resource pair that unambiguously distinguishes it from the sibling 'reboot_device', and it also notes the manual power-on requirement, reinforcing the intent.

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 does not explicitly contrast with alternatives like reboot_device, though the action is self-explanatory. It does mention the config flag ALLOW_POWER_CONTROL=false which acts as a precondition, but it lacks explicit guidance on when to prefer this over other power-related tools.

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