get_sandbox

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

With no annotations, the description carries the behavioral burden. It conveys a read-only status/details operation and calls out expiry, but it does not discuss failure behavior, prerequisites, or response format. The verb 'Get' implies safety, but richer behavioral disclosure would help.

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 a single sentence with no filler. It front-loads the operation and includes the most useful detail (expiry) without redundancy.

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 one-parameter read tool, the description covers purpose, target scope, and a key return detail. It is complete enough for an agent to invoke correctly, though an explicit read-only note and not-found behavior would make it fully complete given there is no output schema.

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 phrase 'one sandbox' implies sandbox_id identifies the target, but the description does not explain where the ID comes from or its format. For a single self-evident parameter, this is adequate but not detailed.

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 verb ('Get'), a resource ('one sandbox'), and concrete output content ('current status and details', 'when it expires'). This clearly differentiates it from list_sandboxes, create_sandbox, extend_sandbox, and destroy_sandbox.

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 clearly scopes the tool to a single sandbox rather than a collection, so an agent can infer when to use it versus list_sandboxes. It does not explicitly name the alternative or state when not to use it, so it stops short of a 5.

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