alexa_get_now_playing

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds useful context that the data comes 'from its player', implying live device state rather than cached metadata, but says nothing about what happens if nothing is playing or if the device is unreachable.

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?

A single front-loaded sentence that identifies the resource, the scope ('right now'), and the payload fields, with no filler. Nothing needs trimming or reordering.

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 one-parameter read-only tool with full schema coverage and no output schema, the description enumerates the returned fields (media state, title, artist, provider), which compensates for the missing output schema. Only edge-case behavior (nothing playing, offline device) is unaddressed.

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 description coverage is 100%, and the schema itself documents the single 'device' parameter thoroughly (name from alexa_list_devices, case-insensitive partial match, or serial number). The description contributes no additional parameter meaning, so the baseline 3 applies.

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 states a specific verb+resource: reading current media playback state from an Alexa device's player, enumerating the returned fields (media state, title, artist, provider). It is clearly distinct from control-oriented siblings like alexa_playback, though it never names an alternative explicitly.

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?

Use is implied by 'right now' — this is a point-in-time read rather than a playback command — but there is no explicit when-to-use guidance, no exclusions, and no pointer to the related control sibling (alexa_playback) or to alexa_list_devices for discovering device names.

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