slack_get_file_info

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It adds the important fact that no content is downloaded and states that the return includes metadata, comments, and pagination info, but it omits error behavior, permissions, and rate limits. This is adequate but not extensive.

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?

The description is compact and well structured: a one-sentence purpose, a short Args block, and a Returns line. There is no filler, and every sentence contributes information an agent needs.

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 simple metadata endpoint with an output schema available, the description covers the core semantics: what it does, what the parameters mean, and what it returns. It is not fully complete because it omits usage/alternative guidance and any mention of prerequisites, but those are minor given the schema and output schema context.

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%, so the description must explain the parameters itself, and it does: it defines file_id format ('starts with F'), count as comments per page, and page as page of comments. This adds real meaning beyond the bare schema, though defaults are left to the schema.

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 opens with 'Get metadata about a Slack file (no content download)', which names a specific verb, resource, and a key exclusion. This clearly distinguishes it from sibling file-related tools like slack_list_files and slack_search_messages.

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?

The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool over alternatives such as slack_list_files or slack_search_messages. The parenthetical 'no content download' is a behavioral note, not an explicit when-to-use/when-not-to-use rule.

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