read_doc

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

With no annotations, the description does carry real weight: it discloses UTF-8 decoding, output bounding, and that shared mode restricts visibility to shareable documents. It does not say what happens for a missing/unreadable stem, whether truncated output is signaled, or whether access is permission-gated.

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 dense sentence with the primary operation front-loaded before the mode caveat. Compact and mostly waste-free, though the shared-mode clause is cryptic enough that it costs more confusion than it saves space.

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 three-parameter read tool with zero annotation and zero schema description coverage and no output schema needs to explain pagination via offset, the truncation contract, and error behavior. The description covers only the happy-path read and leaves the rest implicit.

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 compensate and largely does not: "document stem" hints at the name parameter and "bounded" hints at max_chars, but the offset parameter for paging through long documents is never mentioned, nor are defaults or units.

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 and resource ("Read bounded UTF-8 text") and the lookup key ("document stem"), which is more than the name alone conveys. The trailing "shared mode lists only shareable documents" blurs the line between reading and listing, but the core operation is unambiguous.

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?

No guidance on when to use this rather than siblings like get_node or find, and no prerequisites stated. "shared mode" is invoked with no explanation of how a caller selects it or what it changes about the call, leaving the agent to infer.

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