appium_gesture

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

Annotations only carry readOnlyHint=false and openWorldHint=false, so the description carries much of the disclosure burden. It adds useful context about scroll vs swipe intent and delegates drag-and-drop/multi-touch to siblings, but it does not describe side effects, return values, errors, or prerequisites such as session/element requirements. Most behavioral details live only in the schema parameter descriptions, not in the tool description itself.

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 three tight sentences: purpose and action list first, then the scroll-vs-swipe decision rule, then sibling routing. No filler or repetition; every sentence earns its place.

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?

Given the high complexity of 17 parameters and no output schema, the definition is nearly complete because the schema descriptions are exhaustive and the tool description handles sibling discrimination. The only gap is that the description does not state what the tool returns or how failures are signaled, which would matter for an agent deciding how to handle the result.

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 all 17 parameters in detail. The tool description adds selection guidance but no extra parameter semantics; it does not need to, since the schema fully covers this. Baseline 3 is appropriate.

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 ('Perform') and resource ('touch gesture') and immediately lists the supported action variants. It also distinguishes itself from the sibling tools appium_drag_and_drop and appium_perform_actions, making its scope unmistakable.

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 provides explicit when-to-use guidance: 'Choose scroll vs swipe by intent' and gives concrete use cases for each. It also names alternatives directly: 'For drag-and-drop use appium_drag_and_drop. For custom multi-touch use appium_perform_actions.' This is exactly the routing an agent needs.

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