mcp-granola

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It mentions fetching a note and including a transcript, but does not disclose other behavioral traits such as error handling (e.g., what happens if the ID is invalid), authentication needs, rate limits, or whether it's a read-only operation. This leaves significant gaps for an agent to understand how to use it safely.

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 two sentences with zero waste, front-loaded with the core purpose and followed by a specific usage tip. Every sentence earns its place by adding actionable information, making it efficient and easy to parse.

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?

Given the tool's low complexity (2 parameters, no output schema, no annotations), the description is adequate but incomplete. It covers the basic purpose and a parameter tip, but lacks details on behavioral aspects like error handling or return values, which are important for a tool with no annotations or output schema. It's minimally viable but has clear gaps.

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?

The schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents both parameters (id and include_transcript) with descriptions. The description adds minimal value by mentioning the include parameter's purpose ('to also return the transcript'), but does not provide additional syntax or format details beyond what the schema provides. This meets the baseline for high schema coverage.

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 clearly states the specific action ('Fetch') and resource ('a Granola note by ID'), distinguishing it from sibling tools like 'list_notes' (which lists multiple notes) and 'search_notes' (which searches notes). It precisely defines what the tool does without ambiguity.

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 clear context on when to use the tool (to fetch a specific note by ID) and includes an optional feature (include transcript), but it does not explicitly state when not to use it or name alternatives like 'list_notes' or 'search_notes'. This gives good guidance but lacks explicit exclusions.

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