Cancel a long-running command job

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

Discloses best-effort cancellation, signal sending, and SSH channel closure. Without annotations, this adds behavioral context, but does not mention potential side effects or failure scenarios.

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?

Description is a single sentence, front-loaded with core action, and no unnecessary words. Every part is valuable.

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?

Adequate for a simple cancellation tool, but lacks information about return values or success indicators, especially since no output schema is provided.

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 50% (signal param has description). Tool description adds no parameter info beyond schema, so it meets baseline but does not compensate for the half of parameters without schema descriptions.

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 it cancels a long-running command job and explains the mechanism (sends signal to remote process group, closes SSH channel). This distinguishes it from sibling tools like exec_start or exec_status.

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?

No explicit guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives like exec_remove. Usage context is implied but not stated, leaving ambiguity for the AI agent.

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