get_recent_filings

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden, and it does disclose some behavior: results are a list sorted 'newest first' and limit is bounded 1-500. It is silent on pagination/cursors for getting past the limit, authentication requirements, and rate limits — meaningful gaps for a data-retrieval tool.

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-loaded purpose sentence followed by a compact Args block and a one-line return note. Every line adds information and there is no redundant prose.

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?

Return values need not be explained since an output schema exists, yet the description still notes sort order, which helps. The main residual gap is the no-filter case (does it return filings across all companies?), which affects how an agent calls it with no args.

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 0%, so the description must compensate, and it does: it gives concrete form_type examples ('10-K', '10-Q', '8-K', '4', '13F-HR'), defines cik as a company CIK filter, and states the limit range and default (1-500, default 25). Only cik's format (zero-padded vs integer) is left ambiguous.

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 ('Get recent SEC filings') plus the filtering dimensions, so the agent knows exactly what it retrieves. It does not, however, distinguish itself from siblings like get_8k_events, get_13f_holdings, or get_insider_trades, which are effectively pre-filtered subsets of the same filing data.

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 phrase 'optionally filtered by form type or CIK' implies when the filters are useful, but there is no explicit when-to-use guidance or comparison to the sibling tools that cover specific form types (8-K, 13F, Form 4). An agent must infer whether this is a general fallback or the preferred entry point.

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