Find free rooms for a specific date and time window and optional resource type, so you can check availability before booking.
Find which rooms are free during a specific time window
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| date | Yes | Date in YYYY-MM-DD format | |
| type | No | Filter by resource type, e.g. 'Conference Room' | |
| end_time | Yes | End time in HH:MM 24-hour format | |
| start_time | Yes | Start time in HH:MM 24-hour format |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v1.0.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are supplied, so the description carries the full burden. It implies a read-only search but does not state whether results are filtered, sorted, paginated, or bounded by a result limit, nor anything about permissions. It adds only the bare notion of a time window.
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 efficient sentence with no waste and the key constraint (specific time window) front-loaded. It is perhaps too terse for the tool's complexity, but nothing is padded.
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 4-parameter read tool with full schema coverage, the description is minimally adequate: it conveys that availability is returned. With no output schema, it does not state the shape of the result (room list vs. boolean availability) or handle the optional type filter, leaving a modest 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 coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents date, start_time, end_time and the type filter. The description adds only the implicit link between 'time window' and the start/end pair, contributing nothing beyond the structured fields. Baseline 3 applies.
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 pair ('find which rooms are free') and scopes it to a time window, so the agent knows this returns room availability rather than a schedule or a booking action. It is distinguishable from get_room_schedule and list_rooms, though it never names those siblings explicitly.
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 implies the tool is for availability checks but gives no conditions for choosing it over list_rooms or get_room_schedule, nor any prerequisites about when a query is appropriate. All guidance is left to inference.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.