trove_search

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, openWorldHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds no behavioral context beyond that, omitting any mention of API-key requirements, rate limits, or pagination behavior.

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 a single front-loaded sentence with no wasted words, but it is too terse to be appropriately sized for a four-parameter search tool with partial schema coverage.

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 search tool requiring an API key, with multiple zones and no output schema, this description is under-specified. It omits API-key requirements, zone meaning, and basic result behavior, leaving critical invocation details absent.

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 description coverage is only 50%, with 'n' and 'zone' briefly described but 'query' and 'api_key' left bare. The description does not compensate by explaining what values zone accepts, how api_key is supplied, or what query syntax is expected.

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 states a specific verb and resource: searching the National Library of Australia's Trove. It is clear what the tool does, though it does not distinguish itself from related siblings like trove_get_work or trove_newspaper_article.

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 no guidance on when to use this search versus the related trove_get_work or trove_newspaper_article tools. There is also no mention of required API key handling or zone selection despite the zone parameter's presence.

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