mailkite_list_list_contacts

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

Beyond the readOnlyHint annotation, it reveals ordering, the bare-array response shape, the exact pagination cursor mechanism, and the auth prerequisite. This is rich behavioral context an agent can act on.

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 sentences, front-loaded with the primary purpose, followed by pagination mechanics and auth. No filler or repetition of the schema.

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 read-only listing tool with one schema parameter, the description covers what is returned, the ordering, how to page, and what auth is required. The only completeness gap is that before/limit are described but not represented in the input schema, leaving a small invocation ambiguity.

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% (only id), but the description adds meaningful semantics by contextualizing id as the list whose members are fetched and by documenting the before/limit pagination parameters. The only caveat is that before/limit are absent from the input schema, so the agent must infer they are query-level parameters.

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?

Opens with a specific verb-resource pair: 'List the contacts that are members of a list' plus ordering ('newest first'). This clearly distinguishes it from sibling tools like mailkite_list_lists (lists themselves), mailkite_add_list_contacts, and mailkite_remove_list_contact.

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 gives clear context: it is the read-side list-membership operation and notes the management session token prerequisite. It doesn't explicitly name alternative tools or say when not to use it, so it stops short of a 5.

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