Stop VM

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

With no annotations, the description carries the behavioral burden. It does disclose the main behavioral distinction between a graceful shutdown attempt and a forced power-off. Still, it omits important side effects such as possible data loss in 'hard' mode, behavior if the VM is already stopped, or prerequisites like guest tools for 'soft' mode.

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 two short sentences with no redundancy. The core purpose is front-loaded, and the mode details are stated efficiently without wasted words.

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?

This is a simple tool with two optional parameters and high schema coverage, and the description covers the core purpose and mode semantics. However, it does not mention failure behavior, preconditions, or post-conditions, and there is no annotation or output schema to fill that gap.

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 the baseline is 3. The description adds meaningful parameter semantics by explaining that 'soft' attempts graceful shutdown and 'hard' forces power off, which the schema's generic 'Shutdown mode' description does not convey. It adds nothing for the vm parameter, but the schema already covers it well.

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 action (stop) and resource (virtual machine), and it distinguishes the two shutdown modes. It does not explicitly differentiate vm_stop from siblings like vm_suspend or vm_pause, but the verb 'stop' makes the purpose unambiguous.

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 gives mode-selection guidance: 'soft' attempts graceful shutdown and 'hard' forces power off. However, it does not say when vm_stop is preferred over alternatives such as vm_suspend, vm_pause, or vm_reset, and it gives no exclusion criteria.

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