get_activities_summary

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

No annotations provided, so description carries full burden. Discloses summarization behavior ('essential fields only'), but omits read-only/safety status, rate limits, and pagination details beyond schema defaults.

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?

Single efficient sentence with front-loaded purpose. The parenthetical and dash construction is slightly irregular but all content 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?

Compensates for missing output schema by describing response characteristics ('summarized', 'essential fields'). Adequate for a 4-param filtering tool, though could specify what constitutes an 'activity' in this domain context.

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 has 100% description coverage (start, limit, user_id, done). Description adds no parameter-specific semantics, but baseline is 3 when schema coverage is high.

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?

Specific verb 'Get' + resource 'activities' + scope modifier 'summarized'. The parenthetical '(optimized for token usage)' and '- shows essential fields only' clearly distinguishes this from sibling 'get_activities' and other summary tools by specifying the token-efficient nature.

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?

Implies usage via 'optimized for token usage' (suggests use when token conservation matters), but lacks explicit 'when to use vs when to use get_activities instead' guidance or named alternatives.

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