Snowflake List External Volumes

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 structurally. The description adds the Iceberg scoping context but says nothing about what is returned, pagination, or filtering behavior beyond what annotations already tell us.

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 efficient sentence with no filler, front-loading the verb and resource. It is brief to the point of under-specification rather than bloated.

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?

The presence of an output schema and read-only annotations means the return value and safety profile need not be explained. However, the undocumented 'pattern' parameter and absence of any usage context leave notable gaps for a discovery tool an agent might call speculatively.

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 'pattern' parameter has 0% schema description coverage and the description never mentions it. With low coverage the description is expected to compensate, but it offers no hint that pattern-based filtering is available or what syntax it accepts.

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 ('List') and resource ('external cloud storage volumes') with a scoping qualifier ('configured for Apache Iceberg tables'). It is clearly distinguishable from siblings since no other tool covers external volumes, though the description does not explicitly contrast against related tools like snowflake_list_iceberg_tables or snowflake_list_catalog_integrations.

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 use this tool versus alternatives, no prerequisites (e.g., required role or privilege), and no indication of when it would be inappropriate. The agent must infer usage purely from the name.

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