xero_contacts

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds nothing beyond that — no mention of auth requirements, tenant scoping, result limits, or pagination, despite openWorldHint signaling external variability.

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?

It is a single short sentence with no waste, but it is under-specified rather than concise; the brevity is a symptom of missing content, not of disciplined editing.

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?

Five undocumented parameters, no output schema, and no behavioral notes for an open-world authenticated API. An agent would have to guess whether to pass filters and how to authenticate.

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 0% across 5 parameters, and the description says nothing about them. Meaningful filters like search, is_customer and is_supplier — the difference between a broad dump and a targeted lookup — go entirely unexplained.

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?

"Get contacts from Xero" names a resource (contacts) and implicitly distinguishes it from xero_invoices/xero_accounts siblings, but the verb "Get" is ambiguous — it could mean list-all or fetch-one, and no scope is stated.

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?

There is no guidance on when to use this versus the other Xero tools, no mention of prerequisites (tenant_id, access_token), and no note on whether filtering is expected or optional.

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