Snowflake Describe Database

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds which attributes are returned, but says nothing about privilege requirements (Snowflake metadata visibility depends on role grants), missing-database errors, or whether it requires the database to be the active context.

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?

One front-loaded sentence with zero filler, and the key payload (what fields come back) leads. It is arguably under-specified for a metadata tool, but nothing in the sentence is wasted.

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?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be explained, and annotations carry the safety profile. For a low-complexity single-parameter describe call, the remaining omission (privilege/visibility caveats) is minor.

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?

The single parameter database_name has 0% schema description coverage, and the description never mentions the argument at all — no format, qualification, or case-sensitivity guidance to compensate. With one undocumented parameter, the schema does none of the work and the description does none either.

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 ('Describe') plus the target resource ('a database') and enumerates what is surfaced: properties, owner, retention time, comment. That is enough to distinguish it from snowflake_list_databases or snowflake_get_database_ddl, though it never names those siblings 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?

There is no when-to-use, when-not-to-use, or alternative-tool guidance. An agent must infer from the name alone that this is the metadata-inspection call rather than list_databases, get_database_ddl, or describe_schema.

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