Search Apple Developer Forums

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive, closed-world behavior, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds meaningful context beyond them: the data source is RSS-ingested forum posts (implying completeness/freshness limits), and results are ranked posts with title, URL, and snippet — useful given there is no output schema. It still omits pagination/ranking behavior and freshness lag.

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 short sentences, front-loaded with the core action and scope, with no redundancy. The middle sentence listing frameworks is mildly decorative but still conveys coverage boundaries.

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?

With no output schema, the description helpfully covers the return shape, and annotations cover the safety profile. What remains missing is pagination behavior plus any differentiation from the overlapping swift_forum_search sibling — an agent could reasonably pick the wrong forum tool.

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 50%: query and format are documented in the schema, but limit and offset carry no descriptions anywhere. The description adds essentially nothing about parameters beyond implying free-text querying via 'full-text search' and 'ranked posts'; it never mentions paging, result cap, or the markdown/json format option.

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 ('Full-text search across Apple Developer Forums posts') and names the content scope (SwiftUI, Swift, Combine, recent discussions), so the agent knows exactly what is searched. However, it never distinguishes itself from the near-identical sibling swift_forum_search, nor from the broader apple_search_all, leaving a real disambiguation gap.

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?

There is no statement of when to prefer this tool over swift_forum_search, apple_hig_search, apple_release_notes_search, or apple_search_all. The phrase 'other recent developer discussions' hints at a recency/coverage boundary but provides no actionable when-to-use or when-not-to-use guidance.

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