Compare Shopify Customer Growth

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint=false. The description adds useful behavioral context beyond those annotations: it warns that Shopify may cap counts and that the tool preserves precision visibility even when capping occurs. No contradiction with the annotations.

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 wording. It front-loads the core action and resource, then adds a single useful caveat about count capping.

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 two-parameter read-only comparison tool with no output schema, the description covers the essential invocation context: selected stores, period comparison, and capping behavior. It leaves return-format details unspecified, but that is not critical for tool selection or correct parameter usage.

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 100%, so the schema already documents both 'stores' and 'days'. The description reinforces that periods are current and previous, which aligns with the 'days' parameter, but it does not add new semantic detail beyond the schema.

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 uses a specific verb and object: 'Compare new-customer counts across the current and previous periods for selected stores.' This clearly distinguishes it from sibling comparison tools like shopify_compare_inventory or shopify_compare_prices by naming the exact metric and time-window behavior.

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 conveys what the tool does but provides no guidance on when to choose it over alternatives, such as shopify_list_customers or shopify_run_analytics_query. There are no explicit conditions, exclusions, or references to sibling tools.

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