Switch Realtime/Simulation Mode

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

Annotations only declare readOnly=false, idempotent=true, destructive=false; the description adds genuinely new behavioral context — that Realtime mode clears the event list, which is a data-loss side effect not visible in structured fields. It also states the return value. The clearing behavior sits slightly at odds with destructiveHint=false, but reads as normal mode semantics rather than a contradiction.

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?

Front-loaded with the mode definition and the critical clearing warning before the examples. The examples are illustrative rather than filler, though they mildly duplicate the prose already given.

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?

A one-boolean tool with an output schema; the description covers what both states mean, the side effect, the pre-read recommendation, and even the return value. Nothing an agent needs to invoke it 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 0%, so the description must carry the single parameter, and it does: enabled=true means Simulation mode with stepped time and packet recording, enabled=false means Realtime. Both values are given meaning beyond the bare boolean type.

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?

Names a specific verb (switch) and the two modes it toggles between, and explains the operational meaning of each state ('time advances only when stepped, every packet is recorded'). An agent can distinguish this from siblings like step_simulation or reset_simulation immediately.

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 concrete when-to-use framing and two example utterances ('Switch to simulation mode so I can watch the ping'), and adds an ordering constraint: read events/details before switching back to Realtime. It does not explicitly exclude other tools, but the context is clear.

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