List pages

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

While the readOnlyHint annotation covers safety, the description adds valuable behavioral details: content is omitted in the tree, comment counts are included for pages with discussions, and comments do not affect updated_at, requiring last_comment_at for spotting new replies. It also discloses token-scoping behavior. These go beyond the annotation's basic read-only declaration.

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 three concise sentences, front-loading the main purpose, and every sentence adds meaningful information (purpose, content omission, comment metadata behavior, token guidance). No fluff or 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 simple tool with one optional parameter, good annotations, and no output schema, the description covers the essential aspects: what it returns (tree), what is excluded (content), relevant metadata (comment counts), and token-specific usage. It is complete and self-sufficient for an agent to use correctly.

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 already documents the optional 'space' parameter with 100% coverage, so the baseline is 3. The description adds extra semantic value by clarifying that omitting 'space' with a space-scoped token uses the token's space, which is not fully explicit in the schema description.

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 the pages in a space as a tree' with a clear resource and output format. It also distinguishes itself from get_page ('use get_page to read a page'), making its purpose unambiguous among sibling tools.

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 explains when to use this tool (to list pages in a space) and explicitly points to an alternative (get_page for reading page content). It also gives context-specific guidance on omitting the 'space' parameter when using a space-scoped token. However, it does not mention exclusions or other alternatives like search_docs.

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