Snowflake Describe Role

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 without description help. The description adds only that grants are included in the response, which is closer to output content than behavioral disclosure; it does not mention permissions needed, latency, or pagination.

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 clean sentence with no filler and the key noun (role) front-loaded. It is arguably terse for a tool whose schema is undocumented, but there is no wasted language to cut.

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?

Output schema exists, so return values need not be explained, and annotations cover safety for this read-only describe tool. The remaining gap is the absence of any routing signal against the many sibling describe/list role and grant tools.

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 0% for the single role_name parameter, so the schema adds nothing. The description implies a role is the target but gives no naming convention, qualification (e.g. DB.ROLE vs ROLE), or case-sensitivity guidance; the parameter name is self-evident enough to keep this at a baseline 3.

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+resource ("Describe role") and names what the result contains (properties and assigned grants), which is more informative than a tautology. It does not, however, distinguish itself from close siblings such as snowflake_list_roles or snowflake_list_grants_to_role, which cover overlapping ground.

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 call this versus snowflake_list_roles, snowflake_list_grants_to_role, or snowflake_describe_user. The agent must infer usage purely from the name, and no prerequisites or exclusions are stated.

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