fire_clip

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

No annotations are present, so the description must disclose behavioral traits. It only says 'Start playing a clip' and gives parameter semantics; it does not mention side effects like stopping other clips, quantization behavior, or whether the clip plays once or loops. This is minimal disclosure for a session-launch action.

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 short and direct, with a single-sentence action followed by the two parameter explanations. It is appropriately sized, though the parameter explanations are slightly redundant.

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?

The tool is a mutation with no annotations and no output schema. The description lacks any context about return values, error conditions, or preconditions (e.g., the clip must exist). For a real-time audio action, this is insufficient to fully understand its behavior.

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 0%, so the description must compensate. The parameter list repeats the property names with near-tautological explanations ('track_index: The index of the track containing the clip'), adding little beyond the schema. It does clarify that clip_index refers to a 'clip slot,' but lacks details like zero-based indexing or valid ranges.

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 tool's action: 'Start playing a clip.' This distinguishes it from siblings like start_playback, which operates on the global transport, and stop_clip, which stops a clip. The resource is specific to a clip slot.

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 no guidance on when to use fire_clip versus alternatives such as start_playback or stop_clip. It simply states the action without any contextual cues or exclusions.

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