list_tree

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

Annotations only declare readOnlyHint/openWorldHint, so the description must carry the operation's shape — and it does: results are ordered as the container sorts them, one level is returned per call, and you recurse by passing a node's documentId. It also discloses the node payload (documentId, type, name, per-locale status, hasChildren) and the tree's content boundary.

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?

Three tight sentences, front-loaded with the scope constraint, then navigation pattern, then use case and alternatives. No filler or repetition of the title.

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?

There is no output schema, yet the description still enumerates the returned node fields and the ordering behavior, and it covers when to use siblings instead. Nothing an agent needs to call this correctly is missing.

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 coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3, but the description adds real semantic value beyond the schema by explaining that parentId is a documentId used recursively ('call list_tree again with a node's documentId to go deeper') and that omitting it yields the top level. It doesn't restate the multisite/site parameter guidance, so it stops short of a 5.

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?

States a specific verb and resource ('List ONE level of the page tree') plus exact scope: direct children of parentId, or top-level pages when omitted. It explicitly separates itself from list_content {kind:'page'}, so an agent can distinguish it from the flat-list sibling without opening either schema.

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?

Gives an explicit use case ('Use it to find the parentId for create_content/move_content') and names alternatives with their conditions ('For every page at once use list_content {kind:'page'}'). It also states an exclusion: shared blocks and globals are not in the tree and belong to list_content with kind block or global.

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