news_general

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

No annotations are present, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It only states 'Get general news headlines' without detailing what is returned (e.g., list format, headline metadata), whether pagination exists, or any side effects. For a tool with no annotation coverage, this is minimal and leaves important operational behavior unstated.

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 an extremely concise phrase, 'Get general news headlines,' with no wasted words. It is appropriately sized for a tool with no parameters, though it is borderline under-specified. It still earns a high score for brevity and front-loading the core action.

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 tool's simplicity (no parameters, no output schema, no annotations), the description conveys the essential action. However, it lacks clarity on what constitutes 'general' versus other news categories and does not inform the agent about the expected response structure. For agents distinguishing among many sibling news tools, this description is only minimally adequate and could be more informative about scope.

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?

This tool has zero parameters, so the description is not required to add parameter-level meaning. Per the guidelines, a baseline of 4 is appropriate when no parameters exist. The description need not explain anything about inputs since there are none.

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 a specific verb and resource: 'Get general news headlines.' While it does not explicitly reference sibling news tools, the word 'general' implies broad coverage, distinguishing it from specialized ones like news_ticker or news_category. It is not a tautology and provides a clear enough purpose.

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?

There is no guidance on when to use this tool versus its alternatives. Sibling tools such as news_ticker, news_country, news_category, and news_article are not mentioned, leaving the agent to infer which scenario warrants 'general' news. No exclusions or conditions are provided.

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