Upcoming Contact Birthdays

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

Annotations already mark it as read-only, and the description does not add behavioral context such as what data is returned, pagination, or timezone handling. Without additional detail, the agent has limited understanding of the tool's behavior.

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 a single, front-loaded sentence that conveys the core functionality with no unnecessary words.

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?

Given the tool's simplicity, one parameter, and presence of an output schema (not shown), the description is minimally adequate but lacks details on output structure or edge cases. It does not fully prepare an agent for nuanced use.

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 schema has 0% description coverage, meaning the parameter 'days' is not documented in the schema. The tool description only mentions 'next N days' without clarifying accepted ranges, defaults (30), or that it's an integer. The agent must infer meaning from the name and default.

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 that it returns contacts with birthdays within a specified number of days, using a specific verb and resource. It distinguishes from the sibling tool 'contacts_birthdays_today' by focusing on a configurable range.

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 implies use when needing upcoming birthdays within N days, but it does not explicitly state when to use this tool vs alternatives (e.g., 'contacts_birthdays_today'). No when-not-to-use guidance is provided.

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