Search ETABS API documentation

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and openWorldHint=false, so the safety profile is carried for free. The description adds genuine value on top by describing what a call produces (matching API methods with their Python calling convention), which tells the agent the result is directly usable code-shaped output.

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?

Three short sentences, front-loaded with the purpose and followed by the return content and the workflow cue. Efficiently structured with no filler.

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 two-parameter read-only search with full schema coverage and an output schema, the description covers purpose, output shape, and workflow placement — enough to invoke correctly. The one missing element is sibling disambiguation against discover_api.

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 100% — the query parameter already shows natural-language examples and top_k already documents its default and max. The description adds no syntax, length, or specificity guidance for the query beyond what the schema says, so 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?

The description uses the specific verb and resource ("Search ETABS API documentation") and states the query modality (natural language). It stops short of distinguishing itself from the overlapping sibling discover_api, which an agent could reasonably read as doing the same job.

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?

Clear workflow guidance: use this to discover method names, parameters, and return format *before* using execute_code, which names a concrete alternative. The gap is the same as above — the closely related sibling discover_api is never mentioned, so the agent gets no rule for choosing between two discovery tools.

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