Snowflake List Roles

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 nothing beyond restating the name: no mention of pagination limits, whether results are filtered by privilege, or how the pattern parameter behaves.

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 tight sentence with no wasted words, front-loading the action and resource. It is efficient but perhaps too terse given the undocumented parameter.

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 described, but the undocumented 'pattern' parameter leaves a real gap for a tool that is otherwise trivial to call.

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, so the schema does not explain it and the description does not compensate. An agent cannot tell whether pattern is a SQL LIKE pattern, regex, or prefix match, nor what happens if it is omitted.

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 (roles) with scope (Snowflake account), which is clear enough to separate it from mutations like create_role/drop_role. It doesn't explicitly differentiate it from describe_role or list_grants_to_role, but the intent is unambiguous.

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?

No guidance on when to use this versus snowflake_describe_role (single-role detail) or the grant-listing tools. The agent must infer the list-vs-describe distinction from the names alone, and nothing indicates prerequisites or the value of the undisclosed pattern filter.

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