Economic Indicator History

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

readOnlyHint already establishes this as a safe read. The description adds meaningful non-obvious context: the curated ~40-series coverage rather than the full FRED catalog, which prevents an agent from assuming arbitrary series IDs work. It does not address error behavior for unknown series IDs.

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?

Purpose is front-loaded, followed by scope and the routing hint to SearchEconomicIndicators. The long inline list of nine example indicators is somewhat list-heavy and partly redundant with the schema, but each element is informative.

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 at least states that it returns historical observations, and the schema fully documents inputs. The exact observation shape (date/value) is not spelled out, a minor gap for a data-returning tool.

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% with rich descriptions for all four params (formats, defaults, maxResults ordering). The description's example series IDs largely duplicate the schema's own examples, so it adds little param-level meaning beyond narrowing seriesId to the curated set. 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+resource ('Get time series data for a FRED economic indicator') and clarifies it returns historical observations. It differentiates from SearchEconomicIndicators by name, though it does not explicitly contrast with the nearest sibling GetLatestEconomicIndicators.

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?

Names the alternative (SearchEconomicIndicators) and the condition for using it ('to find available series'), plus a scope constraint that this covers only the curated ~40-series set. No explicit when-not-to-use guidance beyond that, but context is clear.

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