Get Suggested Merges

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is settled. Beyond that the description discloses the shape of the payload (groups with a suggested parent and child orders, a has_more flag) and the 401 auth failure mode, which are genuinely additive; it stops short of describing ordering or pagination edge behavior.

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 with the purpose and the next-step tool, then cleanly sectioned into when-to-use, parameters, returns and errors. The bold-labeled blocks and the parameter list largely duplicate schema and output-schema content, so a sentence or two could be trimmed without loss.

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 zero-required-parameter read tool with a full schema and an output schema, the description supplies everything else an agent needs: what candidates mean, how to page, and which tool to call next. No material gap remains.

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 the baseline is 3, but the description adds real nuance: limit counts 'result groups per page' rather than individual orders, which is a semantic distinction the schema does not make. Defaults and the 250 cap are restated from the schema with no added value.

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 ('Get a list of orders that StarShipIt suggests can be merged') plus the heuristic behind the suggestion (same customer, same destination). It is clearly distinguished from the sibling starshipit_merge_orders, which performs the merge rather than the discovery.

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?

Explicit 'When to use' line gives the operational context (order processing, consolidation to cut shipping costs) and the description names the follow-up tool, starshipit_merge_orders, as the action to take on the results. When-to-use and the alternative/next step are both covered.

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