List Recent Product Changes Across Stores

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

Annotations already declare the operation read-only, idempotent, and non-destructive, so the safety burden is covered. The description adds behavioral scope beyond annotations: filtering by update recency and enumerating the included product attributes, which tells the agent what to expect in results. No contradictions with annotations were found.

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, well-packed sentence front-loaded with the action and resource. Every phrase earns its place, and it avoids repeating schema-level parameter details or annotation content.

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 simple, read-only multi-store listing tool with 100% schema coverage and no output schema, the description provides enough invocation context and even previews return fields. It could be slightly stronger by naming a sibling tool to avoid confusion with similar multi-store search tools, but that gap is minor.

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 input schema covers all three parameters (stores, days, first) with meaningful descriptions, so the baseline is 3. The description's 'lookback window' and 'across multiple stores' loosely map to days and stores but add no syntax or format detail beyond what the schema already provides.

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 names a specific verb ('List'), a clear resource ('products updated during a selected lookback window'), and a multi-store scope that distinguishes it from single-store search siblings like shopify_search_products. It also enumerates the returned product fields (status, inventory, vendor, product type), so an agent can identify the tool's niche without opening the schema.

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 establishes a clear trigger condition: products that changed within a selected lookback window across stores, which maps naturally to the days and stores parameters. It does not explicitly name alternative tools or exclusion criteria, but the scoping language is specific enough to separate this from generic search and report tools.

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