List database backups

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, openWorldHint and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description only adds ordering ('newest first') and the scoping to a single database, with no note on pagination limits or result shape.

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?

A single short sentence with no filler, and the ordering cue is front-loaded alongside the resource. It is only slightly penalized for being a fragment that omits an explicit verb.

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 a 100%-covered schema and full annotations, the basics are in place, and no output schema means return values needn't be described. However, for a list tool sitting among db_backup, site_list_backups and db_restore, the absence of any routing or pagination context leaves an agent to infer too much.

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%, so every parameter (p, type, limit, search) is already documented in the schema, including 'search = Database id from db_list'. The description adds no parameter meaning beyond that, which matches the baseline 3.

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 title supplies the verb ('List'), but the description itself is a noun phrase — 'Backup files recorded for a database, newest first' — that never states what the tool does to them. It also does not distinguish itself from siblings like db_backup (creates a backup) or site_list_backups.

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?

There is no when-to-use guidance at all: nothing says to call this instead of db_backup when creating one, or that db_restore consumes the results. 'Newest first' is an ordering detail, not usage guidance.

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