list_recent_sessions

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden. It discloses ordering (newest first) and the harness domain, which is genuine behavioral context, but says nothing about permissions, pagination/truncation, or what a limited result set implies.

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?

A single compact sentence with the action, scope and ordering front-loaded. Nothing is padded or restated.

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?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be described. For a simple two-param list tool, the description covers scope, ordering and the harness domain adequately; the unexplained 'limit' and the lack of sibling routing are the only real gaps.

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% for two parameters. The description compensates partially by enumerating valid harness values (codex, claude, antigravity, opencode, freebuff), which the schema lacks as an enum, but it never explains the 'limit' parameter or its default of 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+resource ('List recent sessions'), plus scope ('recent'), domain ('across harnesses' with five named values) and ordering ('newest first'). It does not distinguish itself from siblings like search_sessions_history or list-style alternatives, so it stops short of a 5.

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 word 'recent' and 'newest first' imply the browsing use case, but there is no explicit when-to-use, when-not-to-use, or named alternative. An agent must infer whether this or search_sessions_history is the right entry point.

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