Get Overdue Cards

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the burden. It discloses filtering criteria and sort order, which is helpful, but it does not mention whether the operation is read-only, requires permissions, or has pagination limits.

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, front-loaded sentence that communicates scope, filtering criteria, and sort order without waste.

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?

The description covers the core purpose and sorting, and an output schema exists for return values. It lacks explicit mention of optional filters listId/memberId and pagination behavior, but the schema covers the filters, so the description is adequately complete for this tool's complexity.

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?

All three parameters already have descriptions in the schema (100% coverage). The tool description adds no additional meaning to the parameters, meeting the baseline for high schema coverage.

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 defines overdue cards as past-due, incomplete, non-archived, based on current card state, and sorted most-overdue first. This distinguishes it from sibling tools like get_upcoming_due_cards and get_stale_cards.

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 implies usage for retrieving currently overdue cards but does not explicitly state when to prefer this over siblings. It does provide a key exclusion ('not action history') that hints at alternatives but stops short of naming them.

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