List Notes

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

Annotations already cover readOnly/idempotent/openWorld safety, so the bar is lower; the description still adds useful substance — the fields returned (text, time, likes, restacks, reply count, link), the exclusion of posts/restacks, and cursor-based paging. It doesn't state whether results are capped or how large a page is, which keeps it from a 5.

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?

Front-loaded and compact at four short sentences, with the exclusion and paging facts easy to scan. The opening sentence and second sentence partly duplicate the 'newest first' and content summary, which is mild waste.

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?

With no output schema, the description does the job of telling the agent what comes back (text, time, likes, restacks, replies, link) plus how to paginate and which tools consume note_id. Only page-size limits and empty-result behavior are unaddressed.

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 coverage is 100%, so both parameters are already documented in the schema. The description only restates the user default and cursor paging, adding no syntax or format detail beyond the schema — the baseline 3 applies.

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 and resource ('Notes posted by you or any other Substack user'), its scope ('Notes tab'), ordering ('newest first'), and explicitly excludes posts and restacks of posts. An agent can distinguish it from list_note_replies and list_posts without opening any schema.

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?

Gives the key default ('Without user it lists yours') and an explicit hand-off: pass note_id to list_note_replies, like_comment or reply_to_note. That routes the agent well, though it never states when to prefer a different listing tool or any prerequisite/precondition.

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