triage_inbox

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

With no annotations, the description must carry behavioral disclosure. 'List' safely implies a read-only operation, and 'oldest first' discloses ordering behavior. It does not explain what 'open' excludes, whether pagination is built-in, or any side effects, but the tool is simple enough that these are minor gaps.

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 compact: a one-sentence behavior statement plus a single-argument line. Every element earns its place, and the core purpose is front-loaded before the argument detail.

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 tool with one optional parameter and an available output schema, the description covers the essential selection and invocation facts: what is listed, in what order, and how to cap rows. It does not define 'stream/triage' or 'open', but these appear to be domain terms and are not critical at this level of simplicity.

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 only provides 'default: 50' with no property description, while the description adds 'Max rows', giving the limit parameter real semantic meaning. For a single self-explanatory parameter this sufficiently compensates for the 0% schema description 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 states a specific action ('List'), a targeted resource ('open items in stream/triage'), and a defining trait ('oldest first'). It does not explicitly contrast this with sibling tools like triage_dismiss or triage_promote, so differentiation requires some inference.

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 purpose sentence implies this tool is for viewing open triage items, but there is no explicit 'when to use' or 'instead of X' guidance. An agent can infer the use case, but alternative selection is left unaddressed.

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