canvas_list_assignments

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 usefully adds that submissions are inlined and that filtering happens Canvas-side, but says nothing about pagination, ordering, or return size for what could be a large list.

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?

Two tight sentences, with the core purpose and the inline-submission detail front-loaded. No filler, though the bucket sentence is thin enough that it barely 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?

With no output schema, the description should carry more of the return-value burden; it mentions inlined submissions but omits pagination, ordering, and result size. Adequate for a simple list tool but with clear gaps.

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 50%: `bucket` has both a description and an enum, while `courseId` is undocumented but self-evident. The description only gestures at the filter ('standard Canvas bucket filter') without explaining the enum values, so it adds little beyond the schema.

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 a course's assignments') and adds the notable scope detail that the user's own submission is inlined, which helps distinguish it from canvas_get_submission and canvas_list_missing_submissions. It stops short of explicitly naming a sibling to contrast against.

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?

There is no guidance on when to choose this over canvas_list_missing_submissions, canvas_get_submission, or the other submission-listing tools. 'Supports the standard Canvas `bucket` filter' hints at a narrowing use case but never says when that filter is appropriate.

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