lists_delete

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries full responsibility for disclosing behavior. It does disclose a critical side effect (removal of tasks), but does not mention whether the deletion is permanent, requires special permissions, or fails under certain conditions. This is a moderate level of transparency.

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 consists of two short, front-loaded sentences that convey both the action and a critical side effect. There is no redundancy or extraneous detail.

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 delete operation with one parameter and no output schema, the description sufficiently covers purpose and main consequence. It does not discuss prerequisites, error cases, or reversibility, but these are less critical for such a straightforward tool, so the description feels complete enough.

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% for the single parameter list_id, and the schema already describes it as 'The ID of the list to delete'. The description adds no additional parameter semantics, so a baseline score of 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 clearly states the action (Delete), the target (a list from ClickUp), and adds a key differentiator: it also removes the list's tasks. This distinguishes it from sibling tools like lists_update or tasks_delete, making its purpose unambiguous.

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 second sentence 'Removes the list and its tasks' implicitly warns that this is the right tool when you want to delete both the list and its tasks, and not when you want to preserve tasks. However, there is no explicit mention of when to use it versus alternatives, so guidance is only implied.

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