Who arrives on a date

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

Annotations cover only read-only/open-world safety, and the description adds substantial behavior: the default status filter and that excluded bookings are merely counted, contact details gated behind include_contact_details, redaction of emails/phones/postcodes/registrations in free text (with the caveat that names and street addresses are not redacted), and the null-when-no-dog-count rule.

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-loads the core purpose in the first clause, then layers the return fields, defaults, and privacy caveats. Dense but every sentence carries information; slightly long-winded in the redaction sentence.

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 read-only list tool with no output schema, the description fully documents what comes back, what the defaults exclude, and the conditional/privacy behavior an agent needs before calling it.

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 already 100%, and the description still adds semantic value beyond the schema strings: the confirmed/reserved default, the 'counted not listed' consequence of excluding statuses, and the exact redaction behavior tied to include_contact_details.

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 ('Guests arriving on one date, bookings with that arrival date') and enumerates the returned fields, so an agent can distinguish it from list_bookings without opening either schema.

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?

Explains the default filtering behavior ('by default only confirmed and reserved bookings are listed') and points to include_all_statuses implicitly, but never names an alternative tool or states when to pick this over list_bookings or check_availability.

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