mhlb_get_cart_tabs

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint and openWorldHint, so safety direction is partly covered. The description adds genuinely non-obvious behavioral context: that the correct default tab is returned and that the returned text is third-party authored and must be treated as data, not instructions. This trust-boundary warning is a strong addition, though return format/pagination is not discussed.

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?

Three sentences, front-loaded with purpose, then usage, then the security caveat. No filler; every sentence earns its place and the most actionable guidance leads.

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 carries the burden of describing returns and does so (periods, tabs, default selection) plus a trust caveat. It is near-complete for a read-only lookup tool, though it omits any hint of how counts or scoped results are shaped when the optional filters are used.

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 all three filters (period, tabName, studentId) are documented in the schema itself. The description adds no syntax or scoping detail beyond what the schema already provides, so the baseline of 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?

States a specific verb (Get) and resource (valid filter values for mhlb_get_cart), then enumerates exactly what those values are: ordering periods/semesters, status tabs, and the default selection. It explicitly distinguishes itself from the sibling mhlb_get_cart, which consumes these values.

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?

Provides explicit sequencing guidance ('Call this before filtering the cart') and names the related tool it feeds. The agent knows both why and when to invoke it relative to mhlb_get_cart.

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