cancel_order

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden of disclosure. It indicates cancellation is a consequential action via the confirmation requirement, but it does not state whether cancellation is irreversible, what effects it has, or how it differs from refunding an order.

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 short sentences convey the purpose and the critical safety constraint with no filler. The action is front-loaded and every sentence earns its place.

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?

For a state-changing order operation, the description does not disclose side effects, reversibility, or prerequisites beyond user confirmation. The simple schema and lack of output schema increase the need for the description to explain cancellation behavior.

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 description does not explain the orderId parameter, and schema description coverage is 0%, so the parameter name must carry the meaning. 'orderId' is self-explanatory in context, making the tool minimally usable, but the description adds no parameter-specific detail.

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?

The description uses a specific verb and resource ('Cancel an order') and is immediately clear about the operation. It does not explicitly distinguish this from sibling order tools like refund_order or update_order_details, but the core action 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?

'Only call after the user confirms' is an explicit precondition that tells the agent when it is safe to invoke the tool. It does not discuss when to use an alternative, but for a cancellation action this is a clear, actionable guideline.

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