List Discovered Devices

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=false, so the safety profile is covered; the description goes further by confirming it creates no sessions and opens no devices, which is the real behavioral risk here. It does not touch the idempotentHint=false point (results change as devices appear/disappear), which is the one remaining ambiguity.

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?

One sentence, front-loaded with the verb and resource, with the no-side-effect clause appended exactly where it matters. Nothing redundant.

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?

An output schema exists and there are no inputs, so the description's job is mostly done. What is missing is only cross-referencing to sibling discovery tools, a minor gap for a simple read-only lister.

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?

Zero parameters, so per the baseline no parameter explanation is needed. The description correctly spends no words on inputs and focuses on the side-effect profile instead.

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 (List) and resource (devices detected by ChannelTerm) and adds scope qualifiers ('currently present'). It implicitly separates itself from session/connect tools by noting it does not open devices, though it never names the adjacent siblings (terminal_list_serial_ports, terminal_list_sessions) an agent might pick instead.

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?

'without opening them or creating sessions' hints at when this is the lightweight discovery step, but usage is only implied. There is no explicit 'use this before terminal_open_serial' or negative routing against the other list_* tools.

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