List Pages

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=false, so safety is covered. The description adds traversal semantics that annotations cannot convey: one-level-at-a-time pagination and the meaning of has_children as a signal for the next call. It doesn't restate cursor/limit behavior, but the schema already documents those.

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?

Three sentences, front-loaded with the core behavior, then the branching rule, then alternative routing. No redundant restatement of names or schema fields.

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?

Output schema exists so return values need not be explained, yet the description still clarifies the one output field an agent must act on (has_children). Combined with mode semantics and sibling routing, an agent has everything needed to call this correctly.

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 coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3. The description still adds value by defining what the ABSENCE of parent_page_id means (top-level pages), a default-behavior detail the schema's per-parameter text does not state.

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 and resource (list pages of a space as a tree, one level at a time) and immediately defines the two operating modes via parent_page_id. This clearly separates it from flat-listing or tree-fetching siblings.

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?

Explicitly says when to use this versus alternatives: get_page_tree for multiple levels in one call, suggest or search for finding a page by name. Both the exclusion and the routing target are named.

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