Get recent check-ins for a beer

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

Annotations already provide readOnlyHint, and the description adds useful behavioral context: the data is public, the response includes specific check-in fields, and max_id must be sourced from pagination.max_id in a prior call. This goes beyond the annotation while remaining consistent with it.

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: the first states the operation and payload, the second gives paging guidance. No filler, and the most decision-relevant information is front-loaded.

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 covers the essential return content, scope, and paging behavior. Parameter defaults and view options are already documented in the schema, so nothing critical is missing for selecting and invoking the tool.

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 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description adds extra meaning by explaining the cross-call relationship for max_id, which is not fully captured by the schema's generic 'Return check-ins older than this id' phrasing.

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: get recent public check-ins for a beer by bid. It also describes what the response includes (who drank it, rating, comment, venue), clearly distinguishing it from beer_info, user_checkins, and other sibling tools.

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?

Clearly establishes this is the beer-scoped check-in activity tool and gives explicit paging instructions using max_id from a prior call. It does not name alternatives or when-not-to-use scenarios, but the context is strong enough for an agent to route correctly.

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