kage_refresh

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

Beyond the idempotentHint and readOnlyHint annotations, the description discloses substantial behavior: the quiet-refresh mechanism for non-default branches, the capping of stale_packets/validation.warnings to 10 entries with truncation notes, and the effect of limit/verbose. No contradiction with annotations.

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 dense but well-organized: it opens with the core action, then covers usage timing, branch-specific behavior, and output truncation in a logical flow. Every sentence adds value with no 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 tool with no output schema, the description covers the main operational concerns: when to run, how branch affects behavior, output capping, and override options. It implies the return includes stale_packets and validation.warnings, which is sufficient for an agent to call it 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?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description adds nuance to force (persists rewrites on non-default branches), limit (caps entries), and verbose (uncaps), which go beyond the schema's basic field descriptions. It does not elaborate on project_dir, but that is self-evident.

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 opens with a precise verb-resource combination: 'Rebuild repo indexes, code graph, memory graph, metrics, and stale-memory metadata.' It clearly states what the tool does and distinguishes it from siblings like kage_pr_check by positioning it as a pre-PR maintenance step.

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?

Explicit timing rules are given: 'run this after meaningful file/content changes before PR checks; push-only or same-tree commits do not need another refresh.' It also explains when to override the quiet refresh (pass force) on non-default branches, leaving no ambiguity about invocation conditions.

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