List posts

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

Annotations already declare the safe read profile (readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false), so the bar is lower. The description adds real value beyond them: the sort order, the cursor-pagination contract, and the explicit 'no page number, by design' constraint, which prevents an agent from guessing an offset scheme.

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 resource and ordering, then pagination and the filter-first rule. No sentence is wasted, though the 'by design' aside is slightly editorial rather than functional.

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 an 8-param list tool with no output schema and annotations covering safety, the ordering and pagination contract are the key missing pieces and both are present. Returned field shape and default-filter behavior remain unstated but are minor for a read-only list.

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 75%, so the schema documents most parameters itself. The description only reinforces the cursor parameter ('from the previous response') without adding syntax or semantics the schema lacks, so 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 the resource ('Posts in a project') and the ordering ('newest published first'), which is a clear, specific list operation. It does not name the sibling it is not (search_posts), so differentiation from closely related list/search tools is left to the schema, not the description.

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?

Provides procedural guidance ('Paginate with cursor', 'Filter before paginating') but never states when to choose this over search_posts or get_post. Usage is implied rather than routed, so an agent must infer the boundary from the schema.

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